POPERY A Great ENEMY to TRUTH, No FRIEND to PEACE, OR Civil-Government.  
WHICH Is fully made good by the ensuing Discovery of the Methods and Ways whereby the Papists promote Popery in the World.  
From which many Inferences and Improvements are made, very suitable and useful for the present time.  2 Tim. III. 5. 
Having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof, from such turn away.  
LONDON: Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside, near devil. 1679.   

TO THE READER.  
THAT the World hath no need of Books of this nature, is sufficiently evidenced, especially here in England; yet seeing God, who sitteth upon the circled of the Earth, maketh a continual revolution and daily change of affairs in the World: Also, that we are bound to take notice of, and consider the Works of his Providence, that we may understand his meaning in reference to our duty, and sanctify his Name therein; the strange and unsual accidents and circumstances of the present time, wherein such horrid Plottings and Actings of the Papists are discovered, do not a little call for a discovery of their Religion, Principles, and Devices; and though much, yea abundance hath been written to convict the Papal Church of Idolatry, false Doctrine, and many other abominations; as also, to justify the Church of England in separating from it; yet these Treatises and Books do chiefly benefit the learned, the rich; being either written in Latin, and so not to be understood; or Controversal, and so not profitable; or in great Volumes, and so not to be bought by the weak and meaner sort.  
That which is chiefly intended herein, is to help the weak and ignorant, who have no foundation of knowledge or understanding in Religion, save what tradition and custom have given them There is at this day a great cry raised against Papists and Popery here in England by the common people, who yet know not what Popery is, or why it should be rejected; which gives a great instability to the Protestant interest in this Land: For how can that man bear a testimony against Popery, who knows not what it is? or what reason can any have to suffer for the Gospel, or to run any hazard in professing and asserting the Protestant Religion, that do not know or see the true difference betwixt one Religion and another? It is therefore needful that these weak ones be a little helped, which is the only design of this discourse; strong ones, men of parts and learning can help themselves; but the weak have need of help; a little, a weak means may be of use to such.  
Certainly, if ever there were a time to appear for Christ and for his Gospel, it is now; if we be now silent at the appearance of evil, how shall we speak when it is actually upon us? It is time to search and try things, that there may be an holding fast of the Truth in England, that we may never be brought to feed upon the ashes of Popish Ceremonies and Vanities; that having once escaped from the pollutions of the Romish Church, we may never choose, nor be forced to return thither again. This short scheme is but an Essay, but a taste of things, to stir up the minds of the Protestants to search into, and endeavour more fully to understand the Popish Religion the very sight whereof, if taken in the light of the Scripture, is sufficient to turn the hearts of people to hate it; that if God will in the way of his righteous Providence, once more throw the Protestant Religion here in England into a Wilderness condition as to outward circumstances, that yet it may not perish there: For though, as the fire doth not hurt the Gold or Silver when cast into it; nor is the Cloud injurious to the Sun, but renders its beams more grateful; so, nor can trials or sufferings from the hand of Papists, or any other enemy to the Truth, hurt the Gospel, or the true interest of it; yet if the sin of ignorance and lukewarmness of Protestants shall open a door to the Gospels departure out of England, this poor Nation will suffer great loss, and the credit of the Gospel will be laid low among men, who judge of things not according to truth, but according to effects and outward success.  
The present dispensations of God do forcibly put us upon a diligent enquiry into the Principles of the Romish Religion, that we might understandingly, and out of judgement abhor it; for if their doings be so horrible and abominable, as the Plot under present discovery and consideration speaketh, how vile then are their Principles and Religion which afford such fruit?  
The faith and patience of the Saints in their sufferings, have in all ages, even to the astonishment of their Enemies, witnessed the purity and excellency of the Principles of true Christian Religion, even to the drawing out of some, not only to admire but to love and receive them. As Justin Martyr is said, upon viewing, and considering the patience and courage of martyred Christians in his time, to be moved curiously to examine and inquire into the Doctrines and Principles, which carried out those people to endure such miseries so cheerfully, whereby he came not only to see the Innocency, Righteousness, and Excellency of Christian Religion, but sincerely to embrace, zealously to profess it, and courageously to seal it with his blood; so also we have now occasion given us well to view and consider the state and principles of the Papal Church, that we may come more righteously to hate and abhor it, and be more fixed in our protesting against it.  
I have in this little discourse( which was begun in a Sermon, but now enlarged, and by the persuasion of some made puhlick, endeavoured plainness and perspicuity, and also brevity, as much as such a subject will bear; and lest I should swell it into an unnecessary charge, where I have mentioned or quoted any Latin Author, I have waved the Latin words, and given only the English thereof.  
And whereas their principles or practices are herein deeply charged without any proof; I can say for myself, that I am not conscious of doing them any wrong, or speaking falsely against them; but doubt not, if it were necessary, to prove every tittle out of their own Authors; which for contraction-sake I have also waved to name or quote; also, because it is already and sufficiently done of late by several learned persons.  
I shall detain the Reader no longer, but commit, and commend what follows to his charitable eye and judgement, hoping that the weakness of the instrument any way expressed therein, will be no hindrance to his acceptance of the truth proposed to, and set before him; seeing the good of Souls, and of Gods Glory, is herein sincerely intended,  
By such a Friend to the Truth, as is no Friend to Popery.   

POPERY A Great ENEMY to TRUTH, &c.  
AMONG all the false ways of Religion that ever rose in the World, that of Popery claims the precedency, in regard of worldly Policy and Power. How little the Professors and Advocates thereof, either in its first rise, or in the management of its succeeding affairs, either to secure or increase the Papal State and its Glory, have asked counsel of God, or walked in the ways of his Spirit and Word, a little looking into their Principles, Doctrines and Practices, will easily show: but, God who hath for divers ends relating to his own Glory, suffered this Papal and mock-Church to arise, prosper, and hitherto abide and continue in the World; as he doth set bounds and limits to it, so he will in due time utterly evacuate and destroy its devices and designs; a little taste whereof God hath in mercy of late vouchsafed to England. The Assertion, according to the Scripture, in Psal. 31.10, which shall govern the ensuing discourse, is this; namely,  
That the Lord doth and will make the devices of the people of no effect.  
For the more clear and full speaking to this, I will,  
1. show you what these people are whose devices God will frustrate.  
2. What their devices are; and shall consider here,  
1. Objectively, and show what they would effect by them.  
2. I will specify them, and show the kind and nature of them.  
3. We will consider why God suffers these devices.  
4. How God frustrates them, and brings them to nought. To all which, I shall add some Inferences by way of Improvement.  
1. What people is here intended? This is true, the word people may be taken in the general, comprehending all mankind; in this sense it is true, and fulfilled upon every one in the world at one time or other, even in their lawful affairs and concerns; God thereby asserting his sovereignty over all the wills, desires, affairs, and concerns of men; also, showing that all issues and events are at his disposing, that men might fear and honour his Name.  
But people here, is to be taken in a limited sense, in opposition to Christ and his Kingdom. In the World there are two grand Interests, which divide all mankind; there is the interest of Christ, and of Satan; these as they divide in the head, so in all the concerns, instruments, methods and ends, and are in continual opposition and war with, and against each other: This was foretold by God himself, Gen. 3.15. That there should be an utter opposition betwixt, not only the two Heads, Christ and Satan, but betwixt their seed also; for if the seed of the Serpent be taken collectively for all the Children of darkness; why should not the seed of the Woman be all the Children of light? These are in continual war with each other, in one form and method or other, as they are guided and influenced by their Heads respectively; so that the great Rock of offence in the world, is the Kingdom of Christ, visibly consisting of his People, professing his Name, and his Faith, of his Ordinances, his Word and Worship, and all in dependence upon, and regard to the Lord Christ, the great Lawgiver. Now the people here mentioned, are the opposers of Christs Kingdom under what form soever: So Acts 2.1. Why do the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Who this Heathen and people are, the Apostle in Acts 4.25, tells us, where he applies it to the Scribes and Pharisees, who made up the visible Antichrist in the days of the Lord Christ, and a good part of the time of the Apostles.  
So that Christ in his People, Ordinances and Worship, is the object of offence and opposition, and the people are the opposers, and from the head that influences them, and the work they undertake, may well be styled Antichristian, of which are many sorts; as the Apostle 1 John 2.18, saith, There are many Antichrists; some are so in a moral sense, who by a vicious life reject and endeavour to destroy the Holiness and Laws of Christs Kingdom; some are Antichrists in a political sense, they set the edge and force of worldly Laws, Government and Power, against the people and ways of Christ; others are Antichrists in a spiritual sense, these cherish and uphold the secret works of darkness in their hearts, and are wholly guided by their lusts and corruptions of nature; but some are so in an Ecclesiastical sense, of which is the Antichrist, which is distinguished from all other; as in 1 John 2.18. Now all the adherents, favourers, and members of this Antichrist, is the people whose devices the Lord doth and will confounded in a special manner.  
2. What are the devices of this people? For clearing whereof, consider,  
1. What do they device for? what would they have? Answ. The grand intention is, to set up and cast down; they would cast down, that they may set up; they would exalt and establish the Papacy. In speaking to this, I will show you,  
1. What it is? 2. How they come by it?  
1. What it is? Answ. If a Headship and sovereignty, so the word Papa, Pope, signifies a Father, by way of Eminency, a Father of Fathers; some would have it from the Interjection Papae, which is a note of admiration, which agrees with that of Revel. 13.3, All the world wondered after the beast, which is the Papal state in its splendid appearance in the world. There are two things which make up this Papacy or Headship, which they would set up, and have the world adore.  
1. Universality.  
2. Infallibility. If he be not Universal or catholic, he is too little to be Christs Vicar; if not Infallible, he is unworthy, in Christs stead, to rule and give Laws to his Church.  
1. They would have the Pope owned and submitted to as catholic, or Universal Head, and consequently the Church of Rome, where he sits and presides, to be the catholic Church; but if we consider but the Term and Import, or meaning of it, it will appear how inconsistent and vain a design or pretention it is. Herein I intend not to wade into the controversy, but to give you a glimpse of things, which may be sufficient at this time.  
1. As to the Term catholic, or Universal, which they appropriate to their Pope, or visible Head of the Church, and also to the Church under him: This is but a borrowed, and by them an abused term, if rightly considered. I observe three denominations given to the Church, and Doctrine on which it was built: 1. From their attendance upon the preaching of the Gospel, and Doctrine concerning Christ, they were called Christians, Act. 11.26. 2. When the Apostles had by preaching the Gospel, increased the number of believers, and gathered them into particular societies, delivering them divers rules and orders for their more profitable walking in reference to themselves, and to the honour of Christ, they were called apostolic, or Apostolical Churches; the Apostles having the general oversight, rule, and conduct of them. 3. When the Gospel was yet farther spread, and had run its course in the world, those Churches and Christians who embraced, adhered to, and faithfully kept and observed the Doctrines the Apostles everywhere preached, and the rules they gave to be observed, these were called catholics; the Doctrine they observed, was the same everywhere preached and received, therefore called catholic; and the Churches and Christians everywhere professing those Doctrines, and the same faith in Christ, was called the catholic Church, or body; so that this term or title, as it had no private original and rise; so it could not, nor can be appropriated to any particular person, or Church; nay, it is an high and daring presumption of any to arrogate, and take to themselves that name and title which was a Jewel so peculiar to the first doctrines and foundations of Christianity which were laid in the world; that the Apostle doth sometime make use of it to prove the truth of the Gospel to some, in opposition to devised Fables: so Gal. 1.5, 6, The word of the truth of the Gospel which is come unto you, as it is in all the world: and in ver. 23, Which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven. This is made a character and proof of the truth of the Gospel, which it attained not by device of men, or by the favour of Princes, but by the appointment of the Lord, who ordained its going forth, Mark 16.15, And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. So that the Doctrine preached, and spread abroad upon this authority of Christ and the Churches, and people everywhere receiving it, may well be called catholic, or Universal, to which none else have any reason or ground to aspire: For though the rabbis amongst the Jews, and the various Sects of Philosophers amongst the Grecians, had their Schools and Followers, who enough admired them; yet their sentiments and opinions spread not far from the walls in which they were taught. These were but as Candles, which give but a scant light in the room where they are set up; but the Gospel hath been in the world as the Sun, mighty to run its race, and disperse its beams into the darkest corners of the earth: And what is the Church of Rome, with its Ceremonies, Doctrines, and Usages, in comparison of the Gospel, that it should boast of an Universality? It is a mere novelty, a private opinion, a narrow thing, of a small compass in comparison with the catholic Gospel, which made entrance upon, and subdued Kings and Nations, where no Roman foot ever trod, or Roman sword ever brandish't; no, this Catholickness, or Universality of the Head, and state of the Roman Church, is a mere invention, and irrational presumption.  
2. Let us consider what they intend by such a Headship and Arrogation, or what is included in it; nothing less than a substitution and appointment of a visible Headship, or representation of Christ as Head of his Church on Earth: This consists in office, and in power and authority; so that the Pope by virtue of his Unction thereunto, doth arrogate to himself a comprehension of all offices and power which was found in Christ the true Head; herein fully and worthily deserving the name Antichrist, which is a state not only opposite to, but a feigned representation of the glory of Christ on earth; for as 〈◇〉 Christ, signifies anointed both to office and power; so is this mock-state, or appearance well called 〈◇〉, which signifies not only that which is contrary to Christ, but a mock-Christ, or a false resemblance; for of old, he that believed not Christs coming in the flesh, was called Antichrist, 2 Joh. v. 7. For many deceivers are entred into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh: this is a deceiver and an Antichrist. This is applicable to Jews, Turks and Pagans, who refuse the Faith and Doctrine of Christ, and oppose its spreading in the world; but we find another sense of the word in Scripture, 1 John 2.18, Ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists: One observes, that the Syriack renders 〈◇〉, here, 〈◇〉, a false Christ; some it may be that arose in the times of the Apostles, such as Barcho Chebas among the Jews, and Simon Magus amongst the gnostics: these were false Christs, and called Antichrists; and these with some others were the forerunners of the Antichrist, which otherwhere is called the Man of sin; he pretends to an Unction to Office, and to Power, as the Lord Christ had.  
1. To Office, and that so, as that all Church-Officers root in him, and flow from him; he only in their opinion can give or take away in that case; and he that comes in at any other door than this, into any Office in the Church, is counted a Thief and a Robber; he is but an Usurper, because he received not his office and authority from the Pope; and on this account all his Ministerial acts are accounted null and voided.  
2. He by his Papal constitution pretends to a fullness of power; he is crwoned with a Triple crown, and hath keys answerable thereto; his three Crowns are the largeness and greatness of his power; one Crown signifies all Ecclesiastical power to be rooted in him, and rest upon him; so as that all acts of power in the Church are derived from him alone; no Church, no Bishop hath power, nay indeed, is nothing without him. So Gregory the Great reasoned against the Patriarch of Constantinople; If, said he, one be an Universal Bishop, then this one hath all office and power, and all the other have nothing: But he hath not( as they say) only power over the catholic Church, but over Kings and Kingdoms also; that he hath power of War or Peace, to pull down, or to set up as he pleases: This is a second Crown. The third is his power over the Kingdom of Heaven, to shut out, or let in whom he pleases: this is his Triple-crown or power. So that as Christ said truly, so the Pope blasphemously faith, All power is given to me both in Heaven and on Earth. Thus ye see briefly what this Universality is. Let us now come to the other prop of this Papacy, which is Infallibility; without this it is but a blind head: therefore this they boldly assert, That the Pope cannot err; whatever he do in point of Faith, I am sure in point of Morality and practise they have been out enough. The History of them tells of their wickedness to such a height, as if they only were privileged to be profane and blasphemous: However, this Engine of the Popes Infallibility is useful to keep all the Ministers and People too in an aweful dependence upon, and subjection to the Papal Head, which they would have the World adore: Therefore Pope Gregory the seventh, a zealous builder of this Babel, who without any election of Emperor or Clergy, but only by his own intrusion became Pope; but before he could come at it, he by one Brazutus poisoned five or six Popes to make way for himself: he set himself against the Emperor, excommunicated him, and gave his Diadem to Ralph Duke of Su●via, to stir him up to rebel against the Emperor: But getting the Emperor at an advantage, made him come to his Castle at Canusim with his Empress and Son barefooted, in the could of Winter, and there to wait three days fasting, until he might have audience; which at last was obtained by the Mediation of one of the Popes Minions or Whores. But to digress no farther, I say, this wretch was deposed by a Synod at Eripia, notwithstanding his catholic power and Infallibility: he left behind him certain Positions or Dictates for the advance of the Popedom, which the ensuing generation of Papists, over-looking his wickedness and abomination, have zealously pursued: I will name a few of them, 1. That the Pope only is the Universal Head. 2. That the Pope only can make new Laws, and bind the conscience. 3. That the Pope only can take the arms of Empire and sovereignty. 4. That the Pope only must have his feet kist by Kings. 5. The Pope only hath power to depose Kings. 6. That the Pope only can absolve Su●jects from their Allegiance. 7. That the Pope cannot be judged by any man. 8. That the Church of Rome never did, nor never can err, &c. These are truths on which this Idol is set. Now let us see how they come by this peculiar sovereignty, which is the second thing to be inquired into.  
2. Here they swagger with their tu es Petrus, &c. thou art Peter, as Mat. 16.18. when it is not 〈◇〉, upon this Peter; but 〈◇〉, upon this Rock, which was the Doctrine or Truth which Peter confessed, which is the corner-stone, and great foundation of a Gospel-Church; and such a foundation, as the world can never remove, as in that 18 verse, The gates of Hell shall not prevail against it: that is, nor the counsels, nor confederacies, the power nor policy of Devils, or of men influenced by them at the highest rate, shall be able to prevail. The History of the Church tells us of Dioclesian the Emperor, a cruel Persecutor, that for vexation he gave up the Government of the Empire, because he saw he could not suppress Christianity by all his Plots and Devices against the Christians; and surely that speech or saying of them, in John 12.18, shewed no small trouble and grief: Perceive ye how we prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him; not after Peter, but after Christ, and the Ministry of the Gospel; yet herein they glory. See, say they, Christ hath transferred the Rock to Peter, fixed his Church upon him; and thereby it is become infallible, both as to direction and perseverance. The Church( that is, of Rome) cannot err, nor fail, because it is built upon a Rock: Peter cannot fail, because he is made that Rock: the Pope cannot fail, because Peters sovereignty in the Church is devolved upon him. I shall briefly consider this in a short answer.  
1. Peter is indeed called a ston, John 1.42; not that Peter received any change in his nature upon this appellation, or giving him this name; but it must be taken in a metaphorical sense, which is either hardness or stability, or fitness for a building. Thus Christ made use of Peter in the building of his Church, and fitted him for it: or rather that Faith and Truth concerning Christ, which he was to preach, became such: but this belonged no more to Peter, than to all the rest of the Apostles: as in Ephes. 2.20, And are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. Here you see, that not only Peter, but all the Apostles did equally and jointly, vires petrae agere, did the work of the Rock, and were foundation-men in building the house of God.  
2. Nor does it agree with any mortal state, to have this honour put upon it; namely, to uphold the Church, to guide and govern it, to defend and preserve it, without which, what do the Headship signify? I say, this is too much for a creature to pretend to, or to manage, if he had it: Christ gave to Peter his Spirit, but not his glory as Head of the Church.  
3. The Scripture shows the vanity of their imagination herein, in recording the failings of Peter beyond any of the rest: God in his Providence so ordering it, that none miscarried like him: teaching us, that when Christ spake once and again to Peter, rather than to the rest, it was not to put any sovereignty into his hand above the rest, but all belonged to every of them, as well as to him; nay, upon a personal account, rather to them, than to him, because they never failed as he did: the power Christ gave to him, he gave to all. Compare Mat. 16.19. with John 20.23, and you will see that Peter was not alone herein, they were equal sharers herein: but as to his failings, if he had not this sovereignty and Infallibility in himself, he could not give or leave it to another. Now a few instances out of Scripture will fully show, that he had it not in himself by any gift of Christ. In the fore-quoted verses, Mat. 16.18, 19, ye have the great Donation they glory of: There, say they, Peter is made the Rock of the Church; and the keys, that is, all power is put into his hand: Did not this fix him, and render him infallible in himself? no, see a little on, in vers. 22, 23. Christ telling them of his approaching death, and suffering at Jerusalem, which the law and the prophets foretold: This Peter opposed, vers. 22, Far be it from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. The next verse tells you his reproof from the Lord: Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence to me, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. If Peters heart were lifted up by what the Lord had said to him, this might humble him, and keep him from aspiring to a sovereignty over the rest, seeing the Lord never gave such a reproof to any of them, never laid any of them so low, as he did Peter hereby( except Judas that betrayed him); and the considerations of it might humble the proud Papists in this matter, were they not more acted by Interest, than governed by Truth. I shall pass over the instance of his denying his Lord and Master, which was very unlike one that was to become the Rock of the Church; and consider him after the Resurrection of Christ, and their being endowed from on high, or filled with the spirit: Was he then infallible? or had he more power in and over the Church than the rest of the Apostles? if he had, the rest were great transgressors to his sovereignty, and much forgot themselves herein. We find that Paul, though he say of himself, that he was born out of due time, and in some respect came short of the rest: yet he tells us, Gal. 2.11, that in Antioch, where Peters work chiefly lay, that was his Province in an especial manner: There, says he, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. Where then was his Dignity, his Infallibility, of which they so m●ch boast? Yet farth●r, Act. 8 14. Peter and John were sent to settle the Church at Caesarea: if Christ had set him above the rest, why do they sand him? or why doth he admit of a partner? Nay, Acts 11.2, 3, they that were of the circumcision, contended with him about a supposed transgression, to whom he did not object any sovereignty or Infallibility in the case; nor doth he accuse them of rudeness or disobedience in calling him to account: but humbly gives a reason of his doings, as one that was accountable to the Church therein. Thus we see the Scripture is so far from owning any Supremacy in Peter, that it sets him rather in some respects in the lowest form, as the Pope sometime in a feigned and false style, calls himself the servant of servants, though in heart he thinks not so; and when he hath to do with Kings and councils, he acts not so; no, this Supremacy of Peter is a mere pretence, an unscriptural thing, an human invention, only contrived to serve the pride of Antichrist.  
But if it were true( the contrary whereof appears enough) that Peter had this Glory and Supremacy put upon him; What is this to the Bishop of Rome? why should he be the catholic Bishop more than another? why not the Bishop of Antioch, where Peter preached, planted, and for many years watered a Christian Church; and for ought that appears in the Scripture, there he dyed, where never appeared any footstep of this superiority? How he came at Rome, or when, or for what end, whether for promotion, being translated from Antioch to Rome, as a richer bnfice, or a greater Dignity: The first was inconsistent with the common principles and practices of the Apostles, who building the house of God in the world, with the daily hazard of their lives, had no reason to hunt after worldly riches: Nor could it be for dignity; because according to their own principle, all dignity was invested in him, and he gave it, but received not from any, wherever he went: Surely then, if he went to Rome, it was as a Prisoner; not as a Bishop to preside there, but as one called out by the Providence of God, to seal with his blood the faith of Christ, which he had preached and professed, not at Rome, but at Antioch; and if it were so, what is this to the establishing an Universal Headship in the Church of Rome? where is the Donation? let the world see the grand Indenture, or dead of gift: this never yet app●ared, but by a could and naked Tradition from the Pontificians; or if the Martyrdom of an Apostle at Rome were sufficient to establish an Apostolical Supremacy in that Church, why should not they rather derive it from Paul, than from Peter? for his death after some years abode, and preaching there, is apparent from the word of God. The Pontificians should do well to satisfy us here; and that not from any of their School-authorities, or Factors for the Popes Grandures, but from Scripture, sound Reason, and approved History: yea, let them consider, that to this day it is undetermined amongst themselve, whether it be de fide, a point of faith, of all to be believed, that Peter was ever at Rome: if he never were there, why should they impose a lie or falsehood upon the world? if he were, why do not they themselves believe it, and require the same faith in others? But this they take for granted upon a Traditional authority only, upon which they hang so great a weight, as the world groans under it: but this is but a fig-leaf cast over the truth; a pretence of a gift from Christ to Peter, and from Peter to his Successors at Rome, lest the true cause and rise of the catholic and Antichristian Head should appear; which now either they scorn to own, or think it not so available to the satisfaction of others. But I will briefly tell you how the Bishop of Rome came to be called the Universal and catholic Bishop, and who gave him that authority.  
After some strugglings betwixt the Patriarch of Constantinople, and the Bishop of Rome, about the Universality and Headship; one Phocas, a filthy Adulterer, a bloody assassin, who to make way for himself, to ascend the Imperial Throne, murdered his Master the Emperor Mauritius, his six Sons, the Empress Constantine, and two Daughters; and of a saucy Centurion, became an Emperor; ready to admit, or do any thing that might advance or establish his covetous and ambitious designs and ends: Of this bloody wretch, this Son of the Devil, did Boniface the third, then Bishop of Rome, by flattery and gift of money, obtain this dignity, to be called the Universal Bishop; and from that time the name of Pope was appropriated to the Roman Bishop. And now, not, I beseech you brethren, but volumus & jubemus, We will and command, was the style of this Priest: this is the true and genuine, but filthy and craggy Rock upon which the Popish Supremacy is built: so that, as one observes, Boniface the third might well use the Text of Claudius Lysias in another case, With a great sum of money I obtained this( title or) freedom. Thus arose this catholic Head; here began the Kingdom of the beast, which hath been so burdensome and terrible to the Earth, especially to the Spouse of the Lamb, the true Church of Christ: I say, in or about the year of Christ 606, it was ushered in by many and dreadful Prodigies. Among other remarkable things which happened that year, this was one: Mahomet published his Alcoran; a fit companion for the Mass, that Christ might again be crucified betwixt two Thieves.  
Nor was this a fortuitous or accidental 〈◇〉 with God, who by his Spirit foretold it long before its appearance, and the way of his Providence suffered it to attain to so great a splendour and perfection for the fulfilling his eternal counsel. This, I say, is the same Image we find mentioned in 2 Thes. 2.3, 4,— and that man of sin be revealed, the Son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God: Face doth not answer face in a glass more fully and clearly, than the catholic Headship and Supremacy of Rome doth to this Character: his Title is twofold; the Man of sin, and the Son of perdition.  
He is called the Man of sin by way of eminency and distinction, from other Antichrists; nor doth the Article in the Greek, with man, make it to be a single person; for the Article in Scripture is so joined, where man cannot be confined to a single person: as in Joh. 2. last verse, where by man is meant all mankind: so here, the man, that is, that state of the Papal Headship which is lodged in, and managed by particular persons successively. This is the Head of that great apostasy which was to be revealed, and appears in the world, and that with such clearness, that every one might conclude, and point at it, especially that know any thing of the Scripture; and it is called the Man of sin, because of the sinful pollutions, the false doctrines, the cursed cruelties it hath introduced.  
So he is called the Son of perdition, because he seeks the destruction of true Godliness, and of Christian Religion; and also, because this state and headship its self shall surely be destroyed; as Judas was called the Son of perdition, ver. 4. He is also described by his behaviour: he opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God: God here, is a word signifying eminency, dignity, and greatness of persons and things, either in the Church of God, or Civil State, and concerns of government in the World. Thus Antichrist, or this Man of Sin opposeth and exalteth himself above every Deity, Dignity, and Eminency.  
First, Above the Deity and Dignity of Christ, taking more Glory and Eminency upon him in his place, than ever Christ the Son of God did: so he is above the Apostles, yea, their Lord Peter himself: his person is honoured and adored more than the person of Christ was on earth; nay, they are not ashamed to say, That Christ is more glorious in his Vicar the Pope, than he was, or is in his own person; and what are the Laws of Christ, and the Canons of the Apostles, to the Laws and Dictates of the Pope? These are made and held far more necessary to be observed, both for order and salvation also, than the commands of the Scripture: The volumus & jubemus, we will and command, of this man of sin, hath with the Papal World more weight and worth, strikes more terror and awe upon them, than the commands or threatenings of Christ and his Apostles can; nay, these are as nothing to them: Yea, Peter in his Apostleship, or Apostolical Ministration, was a poor insignificant fellow, in comparison with this Successor in his Chair; nay, the honour of their Apostleship is confirmed to them by this Head of pride; nor will, or may the people own them as such, if the Church had not determined it: besides, it is more noble to give than to receive, and the giver is greater than the receiver. Herein he exalts himself in giving( namely) the title of Saints to the Apostles; though they were Saints on earth, yet their Lord never gave them that title, nor did they give it to each other: we find no mention of it in the New Testament; but this spirit of apostasy, to make way for a farther design, dubbed the Saints, herein exalting himself. Yet once more; what authority have the Scriptures? or what foundation stands it upon among the Papists, but the authority of the Church? There is no more allowed or owned for Scripture, but what the Church confirms; and if the Church will increase it by adding any fabulous book, it shall be as fully received as the Old and New Testament: and this not from the ignorance of the people, but from the authority, and exalted power of the Church.  
2. Magistrates are improperly called gods, Psal. 82.6. And thus this man of sin lifteth up himself above Kings and Emperors: he as God, casteth down, and lifteth up; he arrogates and challenges to himself a sole right and authority to depose and set up Kings as he pleases. The world hath been filled with instances of this nature; and should I enter upon particulars herein, I should soon exceed the limits of this discourse, wherein I design but a glimpse of things. Nor is this exaltation all: but if the word God be taken in an abused sense, namely, according to the opinion which the vulgar people, and flatterers of the Roman Emperors had of them, to whom they ascribed a dvinity, especially after death; yea, and the Emperors themselves affencted to be called gods, though the most of them were ashamed, or afraid to take it upon them in their life-time: yet many of them affecting that honour, striven to exceed in virtue, courage, and wisdom; for the sake whereof, they dyed in hope of being numbered amongst the gods, after the manner of others so dignified before them. These thus exalted, the Scripture calls 〈◇〉; these were the middling sort of gods, which they accounted their Mediators. Now this man of sin lifts up himself above this honour also; he does not only assume and challenge all that power both in Church and State that ever any Emperor had, or used; but he sets himself above their abusive and profane godship which any of them attained after this life; for his name and title are greater than ever any Emperor had; some of them had the title of Divus, as Divus Augustus, Saint, or holy Augustus; but the Pope must be called sanctissimus Pater, most holy Father: Nay, some of his hellish Factors have been so impudently blasphemous, as to call him sanctissimus Papa Dominus noster Deus, The most holy Pope, our Lord God: Oh horrid blasphemy, never to be blotted out, but in and by the confusion and destruction of this man of sin! So,  
2. The power he assumes, is above all that is called God: he pretends to have power to ordain Mediators, to exalt Souls after death, into a capacity of divine honour, though abhorred by the same persons when living. Hence the Saints, who were persons of prayer when living, are now by his power and ordination made Mediators, and declared able to receive and further the prayers of those on earth that bear devotion to them; nay, they tell us, that he hath power to redeem in and from purgatory, to absolve and pardon the dead, to give Heaven to whom he pleases; never any called God on Earth, that pretended to so great power. This is but as a drop to the Ocean of that power Popish Authors ascribe to the Pope.  
3. The Emperors never had such Ceremonies of Dignity and Worship as the Pope abounds with. Which of them ever looked for, or had such prostrations, such slavish subjections of soul, as well as of body and goods, to him, as the Pope? which of them ever made Kings and Emperors to kiss their feet, and challenged it as peculiar to him? herein he exalts himself above all. Also, as God he sitteth in the Temple of God, that is the Church, or Churches; the Church in a collective sense, is the Temple here, where this man of si● sitteth, that is, exercising authority, power, and dominion, under pretence of feeding; but indeed, and in truth, as a destroyer and Son of perdition; he sits, casting forth the smoke of the bottonles pit, from whence he came, to the amazing and bewildring of the world that have submitted to his authority; so as they can find no soundations for the worship of God here, or for everlasting happiness hereafter, but what this Babel affords: saith Chrysostom in his third Homily, on 2 Thes. 2. That wicked heresy, the army of Antichrist, shall sit in the holy places of the Church, and shall possess them; and then he that will know where the true Church of Christ is, where should he find it but in the Scripture? Here he sits as God, making Laws, and binding the conscience to obedience; enforcing souls to an aweful submission, by the power and dread of his curses and threatenings of damnation; so as the Church where he presides, is become an house of terror, rather than of comfort to poor souls: so saith hilary, Doubt you that Antichrist shall sit upon the buildings of the Church? The wild forrests, prisons, and dungeons, and hollow Dens of the earth, are to my seeming less to be feared than those Churches. And if Hierom, who lived above 200 years before the formal rise of this man of sin, saw such an appearance of the mystery of Iniquity, as that he called Rome Babylon where he lived, and the seat of the Purple Whore; What would he say now to see the Pope sit on the ruins of the Temple as God? would he not now much more account it, not a Church of Christ, but the wicked City, and Corporation of wic●edness, fighting against the Lamb; a people contrary to the people of God, which together with their head is called Antichrist; an Heretical Church, in name Christian, but indeed Infidel.  
This, I say, is that catholic Universal Headship and Church the people would advance in the world; if catholic, all must submit; if Infall ble, all may adventure; nay, where can they be more secure? Admit this, and all the rest will easily follow, not a constitution, not a ceremony, though there were a thousand more than they are; not a doctrine which he approves, though never so false or damnable, can be refused; nay, it is no less than a deadly sin to haesitate, or query about the goodness or holiness of any command of the Pope, or Church, as they call it: this, I say, is the Headship, which however groundless, or without any authority from, or constitution of Christ; yea, however contrary to God by its Idolatry, to Christ by its new Mediators, and to the Holy Ghost by its Infallibility, and damnable Doctrines, yet must be imposed on the Christian World: and for this it is that Papists are so active, and full of plots and devices.  
3. I come now to the third Enqui●y, namely, What are the devices of these people in and about this matter? I answer, They are many, I pretend not to a perfect discovery of them; it is no more to be attained, than to find the way of a Serpent on the Mountains; only what they have in some of th●ir endeavours and attempts to promote their Papal Babel discovered, or in their Writings expressed, we can charge them with. Of these I will name a few.  
1. They lay in for worldly greatness: this is of two sorts.  
1. The greatness of worldly power; of this they are not a little covetous, either of an actual possession and use of it, or a right to challenge and command it for the use of the Church.  
Now this power wherein they would exceed and abound, is founded either in the consent and subjugation of the people to the Papacy, or in an Usurpation of Civil and Kingly Power: The first we have in Revel. 17. 1● The great Whore that sitteth upon many waters: The Whore is the Papal Church, State and Constitution, called an Whore for its apostasy from the Truth, and Infidelity to the Lord Christ: The waters are the People and Nations of the Earth( as it is expounded ver. 15.) who voluntarily received and submitted to the dominion of this Whore. The second foundation of greatness ye have in Revel. 17.2, With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication. What this fornication is, is expounded, and  told us by the spirit of truth, in ver. 13. of that Chapter. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast: these were the ten horns mentioned in ver. 12, which were the divided powers, and civil Kingdoms of the Roman Monarchy: these gave up their power to the seventh Head, the Papal State, that is, that power and force which God in his Providence had given them for the preservation of civil right, government, order and peace: this power they either cowardly, or unfaithfully gave up to the use, command, and service of the Papal Church, which is the Whore and seat of Antichrist; therefore this Whore is said, ver. 7, to be carried by the beast, which is the enslaved dominion and powers of the Empire, brought into subjection to this false State, which the Whore ruleth and commandeth, as the rider doth his beast.  
Now this is of great use for the promotion of Popery, or an owning and submitting to the Papacy, as it hath been described; for those constitutions which are approved by Kings, and that practic subjection which is honoured with their example, both also being backed by their civil powers, are not ordinarily refused; nay this, though mentioned after the peoples consent, yet is the foundation and reason of it; and therefore, in ver. 13, name without the other, as being causal and productive of it; for though the shining of truth be grateful to many, yet the love of it doth rarely prevail in persons, to a cleaving to it, in opposition or contrariety to the powers of the earth; no, that which the civil Sword maintains, however contrary it be to Reason and Scripture, yet is more admired than opposed; and more readily received, than refused.  
So also we have an account of this Papal State, in Revel. 13.11. There the Spirit tells us, 1. The name of this new form, or Papal State, or how to call it; it is a Beast, called so for its vileness, badness of nature, and want of the light of Truth and Reason. 2. He tells us the Relation of this Beast, the stock he came of, and that Roman State and Government, which was seven-fold, or of seven sorts or kinds; nor is the Papal State distinct from the seventh, but a new moulding, or forming of it, and is the seventh, being the healing of the wound which the Heathen Beast or State received, which was nigh to perishing by the mighty tumults, discords, and divisions of the Empire, and of its Dominions; but is revived, fixed, and continued in the Papal State. Also, he tells us the womb that brought this Papal Beast forth, and that is called the Sea, that is, the troubles, divisions, contests, and shakings of the Empire, with an Universal subjection to this State under a divers form, namely, an ecclesiastic form. 3. In ver. 2. he tells you the nature of this Papal Beast, fierce, cruel, voracious, and destructive to mankind: and then see what followed upon all this, ver. 4, They worshipped the Dragon, which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? This worship here, is giving a divine honour, and also a submission and subjection: in both which senses it is taken in Scripture; now they, that is, the worshippers, the people that submitted, worshipped the Dragon, that is, the Devil indirectly; When they submitted to the Beast, which was the invention and constitution of the Dragon, or the Devil, they did consequentially worship, that is honour, and submit to the Devil. But the beast, or papal State, they worshipped directly, as to that which was in view; and the reason of this worship, the same verse gives, viz. his greatness, strength, and glory, which none were able to resist or oppose; yea( saith Mr. meed) many Emperors, Kings, and Princes, have to their cost experienced, the efficacy and force of this Omnipotent Papacy.  
So that they admired and submitted to this Papal beast, not because of Truth and Righteousness they saw in it, but for the sake of worldly power and greatness, saying, Who is like the beast, & c? where we have two Queries: 1. Who is like the beast? that is, for glory and excellency? as the followers of the Lamb say, Who is like the Lord? So they being filled with a superstitious conceit and apprehension, admire and say, who is like the beast? but this would not hold long, were it not for the second Query, Who is able to make war with him? who can oppose, or deal with him? And lest this first and amazing apprehension of his greatness should abate; see in ver. 5. there was a mouth given to him, speaking great things; that is, by Gods permission; the Devil, the Father of lies, gave him this mouth, that is, taught him how to uphold the terror of his name and seat; for which he prescribed him two methods: First, By challenging Christs sovereign power over Kings and Kingdoms to himself, which he might now safely do, being esteemed infallible. Secondly, By terrifying the world into it by his excommunications, curses, interdictions, deposing of Kings, absolving Subjects from, and forbidding any Allegiance to their lawful Kings and Princes; with these and the like great things he hath awed the world, whereby it came to pass in those Nations subject to this beast, that the commands of Christ are not at all regarded, and the Canons of Popes and councils heedfully and religiously observed; yea the Pope more feared than God.  
Thus we have seen this Papal beast in his civil concerns, as clothed with the greatness of civil power, which his Agents have hunted after, and grasped as much as they could, as being of singular use to advance the Papacy; yea, without which it cannot stand in the world; which proveth its constitution to be, not of God, but of man; for the Gospel and visible Kingdom of Christ was not at all beholding to the civil powers of the earth, in and for its first plantation and success; no, God choose the we●k and foolish things of this world, in and for that work, by which hand or Ministry it succeeded, to the confusion of the wise, and of the mighty; no, nor doth the Gospel, its Doctrines, Worship, or Laws, depend upon the civil and earthly powers in any measure, for its being in the world at this day, but upon Christ only, who is Lord of Lords, who hath the hearts and affairs of Kings and Kingdoms in his hand, and can and will maintain his own peculiar Kingdom, where, and while he pleases, in despite of all the powers of the earth; yea, he can and will by the very blood and patience of his Saints, confounded the designs of Antichrist against him.  
2. There is a second sort of worldly greatness, which the Papacy thirst for, and its people hunt after, for the service of the Pope and Church, which is Worldly Riches. He does not only glory in the powers of Kings and Kingdoms at his command, but he also heaps up treasures of riches, he abounds with preferments and honours; he can sanctify and make titles fit for Kings and Princes to wear, nay, which themselves have gloried in, and annexed to t●e most essential titles of their Crowns. In these riches and dignifying powers hath this whorish Church appeared, that she might 'allure, and be desirable, Rev. 17.4, The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls: The woman here, is the same with the Whore, ver. 1. and with the Beast, Chap. 13. and is no other than the Papal state, as may easily be demonstrated, did it comport with my present design. And her appearance in the world is not like Christ and his true Churches, poor and empty, but glistering, and full of treasure; not clothed with the Son of Righteousness, Holiness, and Humility; but with purple, and scarlet, &c. Now these are great allurements to the flesh, and prevail much with the ignorant, but chiefly with the proud and necessitous world; What will not the force of Treasure effect in this corrupt world? with his golden promises he can inflame the minds of Kings to war, or the executing of any design he hath on foot. This gives a mightiness to the Romish Church; though they boast of their Church-treasure of Merits, yet their Church-treasure of Money hath been, and will be their best advantage: The Pope knows, that which way the money and preferments go, that way will the most of people easily go; he knows, that for money and preferments, he can have Emissaries and Instruments will run to the ends of the earth on his errands; will adventure to assassinate Kings, murder People, fire Cities; or if there be any thing else more dangerous to themselves, or useful to the Church, for money he shall have those will readily attempt it, and without which the offer of pardon will be found but a lean and could thing; no, it is the riches of the Church of Rome that increases her Proselytes( for who will regard a ragged and poor Religion), and makes her Knights, the Jesuits, dare, and defy Heaven and Earth in defence of him, and of her Head: therefore it hath in all generations, since this Antichrist appeared in the world, been an essential piece of policy to heap up treasure for the Popes grandeur and defence of the Church: for this he hath always had his Agents abroad in the world, to work upon the superstitious zeal of the ignorant; to give to, and increase the Revenue of the Church in their life, especially at their death. This was at last found to be a grievance in England, where by the artifices and devices of those called Religious persons, their Church had gotten nigh, if not fully, the third part of the Land into her possession, and solely to her use, to the impoverishing of King and Kingdom; and had still gone on, had not the Three Estates of the Land made, and put a stop thereto by a Law, called the Statute of Mortmain: I say, for the heaping up of treasure, it is, that formerly more openly, and now more privately, Pardons for any sort of sins are sold, Licenses to act sin, Offices and preferments are past for money, yea, all things for soul and body are sold at Rome: even the Popedom itself hath been set to sale. Also at this day great Trades are driven by the Jesuits in all quarters and parts of the world; they have great banks and sums of money improved to great advantage; hereby it is, that their cause and interest is become formidable and strong in the world, which is more acted by lust, than by truth.  
2. A second device of this people to advance the Papal Head and Church of Rome, is to contrive and lay necessities upon the world, necessitate all sorts to submit to it, so that they leave no liberty of choice, but one way or other enforce an acceptance of, and submission to the Papacy; which is no new thing, but was foretold to come in with it, and be used in subserviency to it, Revel. 13. In the beginning of the Chapter we have an account of the rising of the Beast, as to his civil circumstances, from and by the consent and submission of the Nations, and the concurrence of civil and earthly powers given up, and subjected to him. In ver. 11. the Spirit tells us of another beast, that is, of the same beast under another form and consideration, as in Daniel 7, Grecia is called a Leopard, and in Chap. 8. an Hee-goat, that is, under, and for a divers reason: so here is another beast, that is in another form, appearance, and method of proceeding; he comes forth as a Lamb, innocent, harmless, as the true Vicar of Christ, pretending great love to the souls of men, and great care for their salvation, as the true Lamb of God the Lord Christ had; and though he had two horns, or a twofold power, namely, one Civil, the other Ecclesiastical; yet they were the horns of a Lamb, not like to hurt any, none need to be afraid of them. Thus with dissimulation, counterfeit-innocency, and great hypocrisy, doth the beast, this mock-Church, enter into the world: ye notwithstanding this false face, and show, yet he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him; as in ver. 12. that is, the methods and ways of cruelty and tyranny, which the first Beast or Heathen Rome( whose form this beast in the beginning of the Chapter, is said to put on) had, and used for its grandeur, and the terrifying of Enemies; and for example, the deposing of Kings, laying waste Countries and Cities, exacting Tributes, and persecuting Saints with all manner of cruelties; the same ways have the Papal Head and Church taken, and used from the time of its being invested with power; but still as a Lamb, that is, under pretence of zeal for Gods Glory, of care for the Church, and of compassion to the Souls of people; fair pretensions, but under them he hath acted as great, yea greater tyranny and abominable things than ever Heathen-Rome did; and that upon the same principle, namely, desire of Dominion and sovereignty: this was prophesied of this beast, Rev. 13.15, As many as would not worship the beast, should be killed: and ver. 17. No man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast. See how great a necessity this beast, or Antichristian state, lays upon the world, to submit to it: he that hath not the mark, that is, doth not own and confess either the Papacy in general, or some doctrine, as Transubstantiation, which is the special Character of his sovereignty; yea, and he must also own his name, that is, bear a name answerable to this Image: as he is called Papa, so they must call and own themselves Papists; and they that will not do this, must be killed, or lose their lives; so many thousands have been served for not comforming; or at least they must not buy nor sell, which is a civil death and destruction.  
Thus Pope Martin the Fifth, in the end of the council of Constance, decreed, Prohibetur iis qui Romanam seden non agnoscunt, &c. That is, it is forbidden to those who acknowledge not the Roman Sea, to keep houses, kindle fires, make contracts, exercise any negotiations, or merchandise, or to have the comforts and refreshings of humanity with the faithful ones of Christ.  
So also in the Lateran council, under Innocent the Third, it was decreed, That if a Temporal Lord neglect to purge his country from heresy( which is a not submitting to the Papal Church, and to its Decrees) let him be under the bond of Excommunication; and let the Pope declare his Subjects or Vassals to be freed from their Allegiance, and set forth his country or Land, to be occupied by others. Hence( saith Mr. Durham) it was made Treason to have any Commerce with the Lollards, so they called the faithful Protestants from Lolium( as some) which signifies Darnel. So Paul the Third excommunicated Henry the Eighth, and forbade all Commerce with the English Nation.  
This is that Not of necessity, which gathers in, and drags all sorts of persons to the Roman shore; if Kings will not own the Papacy, they shall be unking'd; the Pope will not own them for Kings, nor suffer their people to obey them; they are in a slavish dependence upon the Roman See; they are made to believe that they cannot subsist, nor maintain their Governments and Kingship without the Popes concurrence, assistance, and blessing; it is given and received as an undoubt●d maxim, No Pope, no Emperor; no, nor can the Papal Kings have any peace at home or abroad, but in and by subjection to, and defence of the Church of Rome; therefore the sulminations, or threatenings of the Pope, have always been dreadful to Kings and Emperors, but most to those that were most in subjection to him, or had most given up their power to him; and ●er smiles and favours as much desired: and however uneasy this Papal yoke hath been to the necks of Kings and Princes, yet for necessity sake they have endured it, as the Tributaria's to Heathen Rome did.  
So the people also are necessitated to submit, for there is no buying nor selling; nay, no living without it: though the most of them be sottishly ignorant, and are easily driven; yet many of them are more knowing, and do spy out the Irrationality, and much of the abomination of the Church of Rome: However, they dare not mutter, nor find fault; but they stifle, and put out their light, and silence their conscience, because of the necessity that is upon them to comply.  
And as they much use this politic, so they load the world with a moral necessity, to obey the Church of Rome, telling and persuading people, that being out of the Church of Rome, they cannot be saved; that the Popes curse puts them into a state of damnation; that they are in a damnable error, and cannot be saved without renouncing it: This in conjunction with the civil necessity before-mentioned, works strongly to captivated the minds of their own people, yea, and to stagger weak ones that are not of them. In this twisted snare, was the famous Henry the Fourth of France taken, who after he had undergone all the Impressions of the Guisean Faction, which was the strength of the Papal Interest in France●, had fought many battels, broken their power and strength, by the faithful assistance of the Protestants, and had obtained a quiet and full possession of the Crown; probably considering the implacable malignity of the Papists against a Protestant King in that country; and also how endless their malice and endeavours would be, to destroy his life or peace: He caused a Convention of the learned men of the Hugonet or Protestant party, and of the Papists, to discourse the differences betwixt them in matters of Religion, in order to accommodation; and after some few Arguments, the King asked the Protestants there present, Whether a man dying in the Faith and Membership of the Church of Rome, might be saved, or not? They, to avoid offensive sharpness, unwarily answered, Yes, he may be saved. Then he asked the Popish Doctors, If a man dying in the Faith and Union of a Protestant Church might be saved, or no? They answered no; they that die out of the Church of Rome, cannot be saved, but shall certainly be damned: Well, said th● K●ng, if it be so, it is better for me to be of that Church where I may be saved( as all acknowledge), than to be of that Church and Faith where I shall surely be damned, as they on one side say; and so he turned Papist, supposing thereby, that if not his Conscience, yet at least his Peace and Government should be secured.  
3. A third device of these people, to set up the Antichristian Papacy, is as much as in them lies, to put out the light which God hath given to men: dar●ness is a sure refuge to the Papal Kingdom; no Mother so fruitful of devotion with them, as Ignorance; they hate the light, and cannot bear its shining in and upon the people; they conclude, that the more people know in Religion, the more prove they are to Rebellion, which is false, except it be meant with reference to the Papacy; so it is true: for the more any have of the light of truth, the more they will hate the damnable Doctrines of the Papal Church; and the more any have of the Purity of Truth, the more they will hate their abominable practices; therefore they do all they can to keep their people in Ignorance: they forbid them to red the Scriptures, or any other Religious Books, save such as the Superior allows; yea, they will not suffer the people to discourse about Religion, for fear they should get too much knowledge, and grow sick of Religious scruples and doubts, always fatal to them.  
There are two great lights which God hath given to men to walk by in Religion, both which they deny the use and benefit of.  
1. They deny the use and benefit of a private judgement in matters of Religion; they will not bear that a man should use his own reason in the concerns of his own soul in matters of Faith, and of the worship of God; in and about which, they abhor reasoning, or doubting, as being inconsistent with that absolute Obedience the Church of Rome requires: yet the Scripture speaks of doubting, Rom. 14.23. and this includes a private judgement of discretion, and the use of a mans own reason, to which every one is so far to give heed, that it is a great evil for any to act against his own judgement in obedience to any authority on Earth; and brings any such into condemnation, at least in himself.  
Also, if there be any choice in Religion, for which the Scripture abounds with proofs, then every man must have a liberty to approve, and disapprove; to use his reason, and to make a judgement of what he does; hereby he offers to God a reasonable service; and without it, it is but a blind obedience and brutish service.  
Now the Papal Church utterly denys this liberty of judgement; calls for obedience, and suffers none to consider, question, or dispute what is commanded, but that they readily obey; though their Superior or Teacher be never so vicious, ignorant, and blind himself; yea, though he should command that which is never so ridiculous; yea though it be vicious, yet they are bound without enquiry to obey; and for their comfort herein are  told, That a ready obedience is meritorious, let the matter of it be what it will. Thus they put out the noble eye of reason, that they may led captive poor souls, and triumph over their consciences; that they may be brought more readily to grinned in the Popes Mill, and do any drudgery at his command: Hence it is, that they stick at no Doctrine authorized at Rome, though never so absurd and irrational: As for instance, the Doctrine of Transubstantiation, which tells them, that the consecrated bread becomes very flesh; and the host is no other but very Christ, and is accordingly adored by them. Now though this be not only contrary to reason, but even to sense; though in feeling and tasting it, they find and know it bread, and nothing but bread; yet in obedience to the Canons of the Church, they believe contrary to sense and reason, that it is Christ, yea and call it God. So in all respects, by the laying by the use and obligation of reason, the people are brought into a perfect Vassalage. I shall add no more to this, but give you a passage out of one of their Writers, and he not a mean one, Cardinal Cusanus in his Epistle to the Bohemians; No man( says he) can be deceived by an ill pastor; if thou say, Lord, I have obeied thee in him whom thou hast set over me, this will be sufficient for thy salvation; for thou by obedience paid to all teachers whom the Church tolerates, cannot be deceived, although he commands what is unlawful. Wherefore the opinion of the pastor binds thee upon thy salvation, for the good of obedience, although it be unjust; for it belongs not to thee to take notice whether it be unlawful, or not; neither hast thou leave not to obey, though it seem unlawful to thee; for that obedience which is irrational, is the most complete and most perfect obedience, to wit, when one obeys without the use of reason, as a beast obeys his owner. What can be said more full in this case, to show this design, and the scope of it? how grievous a bondage this is, may easily be conceived, by those that have any use of, or value for their reason: If your Minister, or Preacher should in his Ministry offer some false Doctrine, not only contrary to Scripture, but to reason and sense, and require you to believe it upon pain of damnation, you would think it very hard; yet this, and much worse is their case.  
2. They endeavour to put out the light or use of the Scriptures: This design was begun by the Antichristian Pharisees, who though they look't into Moses, yet it was but to put out the light; they multiplied Glosses and Interpretations, and put their own authority upon them, and then imposed them upon the people, so as they were more studied and believed than the Letter and Law of Moses: Hereby the Scripture became of no use and significancy to the people; the Papal state do all this, and more, to the casting the Scriptures out; it is not only corrupted and evacuated by their false Glosses and Interpretations, but our-faced, and run down by their vain and lying Traditions which they add as of equal, if not Superior authority to the Scriptures; yea, they forbid the use and reading of the Scriptures to the people, as a practise dangerous to their Church; nay, their Priests are not suffered to use the Scriptures, for fear they should turn heretics, and corrupt the people; yea, Pope pus the Fourth put the Bible into the Index and number of forbidden books, and made it an unpardonable sin for any to red it, but such as can procure a licence for it from a Bishop, or Inquisitor; also they have upon all occasions expressed blasphemous hatred to, and contempt of the Bible, by burning it with heretics, as they call the Protestants; calling it their little God, that they may terrify the people from using it; if this seem strange, and you would know the reason, the Council for the establishment of the Roman seat, tells us, That their Worship and Doctrine is contrary and repugnant to the Doctrine of the Scriptures: and this is the true reason given, even by themselves, why they would have as little of the Scriptures as can be known to any. So that if the Romish Religion enters into, and be set up in England, you must bid farewell to the use of your reason in matters of Religion, yea and be altogether without the use of the Scriptures, because it is altogether necessary for the carrying on the design, and the setting up the Papal Antichristian Head, that these be laid aside.  
4. A fourth device for the setting up the Papal Head, is the debauching the world, the putting out the light of nature, that there might be no conscience in and about acts of Morality; if people have but a zeal for, and conscience to obey the Canons and Rules of the Church, it matters not much what they do besides. Now that they may freely give up their consciences to the Pope or Church, they kindly give them the freedom of their lusts, and liberty to obey them to the full; nay, that they may be fixed in a blind obedience to the Church, they endeavour to vitiate them in their Morals; and when persons are so far debauched in conscience, as to act and glory in any kind of Immoral shane, I see no reason why they should make any conscience in and about Religion; if any such can be found, we may well think that they refuse Popery either as a Novelty, which a little time will wear off; or upon some carnal Interest or end, which cannot last long under opposition, or may be by some composition taken off; but for the generality of persons, of what order soever, it certainly holds good, That a debauched life and conscience makes way for any Religion that is uppermost. Now that this is the usual method and course of the Roman Prelates and Clergy with their own people, to keep them satisfied in their blind obedience and vassalage to the Church of Rome, needs no proof; all that know the conversation of Priest and people, can testify it; and if a vicious life, and defiled conscience, be needful to keep in, why not to bring into the obedience of that Church? And I doubt not to say, that debauchery in England hath been by the Factors for the Roman Sea greatly promoted, even to a degree beyond whatever hath been before in the Nation.  
5. A fifth device of theirs to set up the Papal Head, is to svit their Doctrines and Worship to the flesh and sensual mind of man; the ear shall have rare and delightful music; the eye is pleased with golden and rich Vestments of the Priests; so they accommodate Religion to the pride of the mind, by giving to man a power and possibility of meriting and obtaining a Righteousness of his own, and that by little devotion to a particular Saint, or some external obedience to the Pope; and if they come short, and miss it, or through infirmity they fall into any sin, so as their own merit cannot relieve them; for money, or by enduring some bodily chastisement imposed on them, the Popes authority can give them a Plenary remission; so they make their Religion easy; whereas the Scripture calls for the cutting off right hands, and right eyes, that is, the mortifying of our most delighted lusts, which is a work not a little grievous to flesh and blood; but they tell the people, that so many Pater Nosters and Ave-Maries is enough.  
6. Their lying Miracles is another device whereby the Papal Authority, Doctrines, and Commands, are established: these are either wrought by the Pope himself, or by some of his Saints; yet so, as that the authorizing and allowance of them depends only upon himself. These are so many, that should I enter upon a discovery of them, I should be burdensome to the Reader, and swell my discourse beyond my intention; and they are so palpable and ridiculous lies, that the wisest amongst themselves cannot but own them for such; yet think it needful to uphold the credit of them, because they are of great use to the Church. Thus, as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses with lying and false Miracles acted by the power of Satan, sufficient to deceive a blinded and hardened Pharaoh to hi● confusion; so this Papal Antichrist is said to come into the world with lying miracles, 2 Thes. 2.9, He shall come in the power, and after the working of Satan with signs and lying wonders. Of this sort are the Popes Miracles, and with these the Papacy abound, and glorieth in at this day; and the great judgement of God upon the poor deluded Papists is, that they are given up to believe a lie; such are all their Saints relics, to which they give the same worship and reverence, that they give to the Saints to whom they belong: all the miracles wrought by these relics, are nothing but lying wonders; yet hereby is an awe struck upon the minds of the poor deluded Papists, so as they own them for real, and therein honour and worship the Papal Head, who authorizes the use and worship of them.  
7. A seventh device is Indulgences and Pardons; they must needs be a powerful device, and of great efficacy for the end forementioned; for every man that believes there is a God, must also grant there is a judgement to come; and that every man must have some righteousness, and must make some satisfaction for his sin. Now the Pope having this authority as Christs Vicar and Ple●epotentiary on Earth, the way to pardon is short and easy, and by some grateful application to the Pope, or his Ministers, it may be had: And who would not be at cost or pains for it, believing its certain validity when he hath it? With this Net he hath dragged the world for treasure, pardons for all sorts of sins have been set to sale; so that he that hath money, need not want a pardon. And what would not fearful men give to be delivered from wrath to come? With this Cordial the Pope strengtheners the spirit, conscience, and courage of those whom he employs in his desperate services, as the Rebel against his lawful Prince, if an heretic; a pardon shall encourage the Murderer to destroy those that do disservice to the Pope; a pardon shall embolden the Assasine to kill the King, if the Pope would have him removed; if he would raise an Army for defence of the Church, or suppression of heretics, the wager of a pardon hath been sufficient to draw multitudes into his service. This is the sweet bit wherewith the Pope upon all occasions hath baited his traps, and brought ignorant ones to his lure.  
8. Another device they have for the carrying on their grand design, is their spying upon all Countreys, affairs, and concerns: for this service the Church of Rome hath many and fit instruments: these are those Locusts, as many Expositors judge, mentioned Rev. 9.3. And there came out of the smoke( that is, of the bottomless-pit) locusts upon the earth; and unto them was given power, as the Scorpions of the earth have power. These locusts, I say, many Interpreters do think to be the various ecclesiastic Orders in the Church of Rome, the several sorts of friars, who serve the Pope with all their soul and strength: but above all, the Jesuits, so called from Jesus( our blessed Saviour), to whose Patronage this society was dedicated, and by whose name the Order was, and is called: this was began by Ignatius, an ignorant enthusiastick Zealot in the Church of Rome; who after some years acting the part of a cunning Knave, presented himself and Disciples before Pope Paul the Third, a most vile and abominable wretch: he reading a little of the draft of the Rules for the Society presented to him by Ignatius, but especially perceiving they were like to be serviceable to the Interest of the Church, cried out, The Spirit of the Lord is here; I suppose he meant, the same spirit that did him such service in the Council of Trent, called by him: Well, this Pope upon this point of politic zeal, by his Bull confirmed this Order in the year 1540, not an 140 years standing is this Order; yet in that short time grown to a most stupendious greatness for number and riches, so as this Order is become the main prop of the Papal or Antichristian State: The service of the friars, which is founded in the ignorant zeal of people, however formerly it was very useful, yet zeal decaying in the world, is now become a poor feeble thing in comparison with that of the Jesuits: These have Schools for the education of youth, out of which they call the most pregnant and suitable to their purposes; what the janissaries have been to the Ottoman State of the Turks, these are under other circumstances, the same to the Papal seat: I say, these in an especial manner,( yet including the rest of the Religious Orders,) are the Locusts that came out of the smoke of the bottomless-pit; What is this bottomless-pit, but the pride and lusts of the flesh in man, improved by Satan, the grand Head of apostasy? the great confusion and darkness in the heart of man is this deep and wide pit where Satan ruleth; and it is called bottonles, because it hath no foundation in the Word of God, nor in the Work of God, its self being the work of the Devil; also it is said to be without bottom, because it is unsearchable, the depths of falsehood, pride, and cruelty, that are in the heart of man, cannot by men be searched, or found out, which is but the same account that Jeremy long since gave of it, Jer. 17.9, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? Now,  
Out of this bottomless-pit did the Arch-Antichrist, the Devil, by Gods permission, fetch the Papal beast, which is said to arise or proceed, Rev. 17.8. and also upon the opening of this pit, a great smoke, like the smoke of a Furnace, which darkened the Sun and the Air, Rev. 9.2. This smoke is the damnable Doctrine contrived by the policy of Satan for the service of this beast; also their lying wonders, their numerous and vain Ceremonies, which are but the spawn of pride, &c. these are said to darken the light, that is, the light of the Gospel, and word of God; for light and darkness are not more contrary than the Papacy, taken with all its appurtenances, is to the Scriptures; so that where this smoke hath prevailed, there the people have been without the true light; they know not what Religion is, they have no Scripture-air for their souls to breath in; no, they are encompassed and wrapped up in the smoke of this bottomless-pit.  
Now out of this smoke came the cursed fry and issue of Cardinals, Priests, Monks, friars, Jesuits, &c. these are called Locusts for their hurtfulness; the locusts were one of the plagues of Egypt, and a curse threatened to disobedient Israel: These locusts are said to have power given as Scorpions; who gives them this power, you may see in Rev. 9.11. their Original( as I may call it) Commission is from the grand Apostate, called a destroyer, the Devil; and under him, or by his suggestion, from the Papal See; and their business is to hurt and smite, though with limitate and under-bounds set to them by the Lord Christ. Now as Scorpions hurt by stinging, or casting forth poison; so these go forth to poison the world by false Doctrines, so to kill the soul, or else to destroy the outward peace of those which they cannot gain: these creep into the Courts and C●uncels of Kings and Princes, whereby the Popes intelligence is very great, and he sits the more secure; for if he can know the councils and Designs of the Kings of the Earth, he can the more easily prevent any evil intended against his State or Affairs; also hereby he can the better tell how to manage his own designs for the securing or increase of the Roman Church: These locusts, I say, are his Intelligencers abroad in the world, as the grand Apostate the Devil hath his Intelligencing-Devils abroad in the world, to give him notice of the concerns and affairs of the tempers and ways of men; these also act in tempting and destroying, according to the Rules and Orders they have from their Head; so do these also act abroad in service and obedience to their Papal Head; for this purpose they are furnished with directions, with treasure, with authority, or whatever else is needful, they have from the Pope, with his blessing into bargain, for their prosperous success, and accordingly they search all the corners of the Earth, they compass Sea and Land to make Proselytes; they use all means imaginable to avenge Injuries done to the Roman Church, or repair its losses, or increase its strength and glory; for this they put on all manner of garbs, and outward appearances; they learn various trades, they mix with all sorts of persons, they haunt all companies, they are fit for all discourse, they so transform themselves, that you cannot by any outward circumstances say this is a Jes●it, a Priest, or a friar; these corrupt Officers of State by their gold, and blind the Civil eye of a Nation, so as they have been as secure in Protestant Countries, as in Rome its self; these are the Make baits, and great fomenters of divisions amongst the Protestants, setting them together by the ears about trifles, that they may the more securely carry on their designs of destruction against them both.  
9. Another device for the security of the Papacy, or its exaltation in the world, is the principles which are laid down by the Popish Writers, and have been occasionally practised by some Popes, and Members of that Church; these principles are calculated, and fitted to, and for their Antichristian State. I will mention a few.  
1. The first I shall name, is this; That in any Religious exercise, the appearance and act of the outward man is a sufficient discharge of duty; that prayer is but the use of words and expressions; Repentance is nothing but a submission, and undergoing of penance, or outward punishment for sin; yea, the celebrating of Mass requires but a bodily presence at it; and that it it not needful either for Priest or People when they are about it, to regard any thing but the bare performance; and Bellarmine tells the reason, Because( saith he) the holy Church hath commanded and determined the time and manner how divine Law is to be observed in keeping this command; but the Church no wh●re requires inward acts; so that according to this principle, a man may sufficiently worship God without any Internal love to, or fear of him; and that commands are sufficiently performed only in the matter of them, and by the outward man. Thus the Antichristian Pharisees made voided the Law of God by their Tradition, which our Saviour condemned, by showing what that true obedience is which God requires of us, as in Mat. 5.  
Hence is there so great profaneness amongst them at their devotions, when they are at Mass, some are sleeping, some laughing, some discoursing, and that about not only worldly, but obscene and filthy things; and this tolerated by this principle, and justified by their Writers; so that as to any Internal act of the soul in any of their Worships, a beast by its presence may worship God as well as they: Hereby the life of Religion is lost, there is nothing of Religion amongst them, but the carcase of it; but an outward act or appearance, whereby the most vicious person in the world, yea the Devil himself may worship God as well as the Papists in this respect.  
Now this principle is of great use to the Papacy, for hereby the souls of people are lulled into a deadly and damnable security; all parties are hereby pleased but one; the Devil is pleased, because he hath that he desires most of all, namely, the souls of men, which are no way concerned, or influenced in and by all their Religion; all their Masses and Services are no hindrance to his Dominion in and over the soul; no, he hath gotten more by the smoke of t●e bottonles pit, than ever he got by the cruelties of Heathen-Rome; and as he is pleased, so the people are pleased, their lusts are not disturbed, their worship is made exceeding easy to flesh and blood; what can be more pleasing to carnal gospelers than this principle? they may gratify their flesh, swim in sinful delights and pleasures, be profane and filthy, and yet by an outward attendance upon acts of worship be approved good Sons of the Church; nay, those outward acts they perform, shall not only be enough without a heart and soul offered to God in them; but in them they need not be overstrict, they may sleep, or discourse, &c. if they be but there, it is enough. Oh how grateful is this form of serving God, and this principle, to corrupt nature! Were this well considered by the wicked and corrupt ones, that call themselves Protestants, I see no reason why they should not comply with a Religion founded upon such grateful Principles: The Pope also is thereby gratified, because the more external Religion is amongst them, the more easily will his visible Headship and worldly grandeur be admitted; yea, and all his Canons and Papal determinations be observed; For what will that man stick to do in matters of Religion▪ when commanded by an Infallible Head, seeing the All that is required, is but an outward and bodily presence and obedience? But in all this God is offended, who above all things requires the heart, and that men should worship him in Spirit, and in Truth; so that however this principle may be serviceable to the Church of Rome, yet it is abominable in the fight of God.  
2. Another principle of theirs, is, That the intention of the mind justifies the act, though for the matter Immoral and Vicious: As for example; If a man go to Mass, intending obedience to the command, and when he comes there, falls asleep, and so passes the whole time away, though he neither said nor did any thing, yet he shall not lose his reward, because he intended obedience in it; so, if a man that is defamed by another, shall kill him that defamed him; if he do it with a mind or purpose not to murder him, but to vindicate his reputation abused by him; he that killed him, is not thereby a murderer, because of his intention: so that all the difficulty lies but in a right governing of the intention. If a man be so happy, as that in his secret intention he moves right, then in the action he cannot err: hereby all the Laws of God may at once be evacuated, and made insignific●nt; so though the Law saith, Honour thy Father and Mother, which surely for bids doing any injury, or desiring any harm to their persons or lives; yet if a Son expect an Estate after his Fathers death, and his Father live long, he may desire and wish his Fathers death, and that without sin, provided it be only with intention of enjoying the estate, which is kept from him by his Fathers life; so that a right intention and purpose, if a man be not too hasty to miss it, will justify any vicious act, and shall have its reward in the omission, or ill performance of any duty commanded of God.  
I shall not need to instance farther herein; at first view to any understanding person, it will appear how vile a principle this is, worthy of, and fit for the Antichristian Papal State, and not a little useful to it: this makes up the neglect of all service, this fortifies the conscience in the performance of any wickednes●; this prepares the fiery and violent spirits amongst them, for private revenges, especially to serve the Interest of the Church by any ways or means, the most diabolical whatsoever; and if any of them be surpriz●d, and taken, though the scandal of the act be great, and their punishment capital, yet no guilt troubles them, they have the sweet Cordial of this principle to refresh them under all namely, That they intended the service of the Church, and obedience to Superiors only; and on that account are so far from condemning themselves in it, and for it, that they expect a reward for it at the hand of God: this follows naturally from this principle brought into practise.  
3. That the Interest of securing or propagating the Papal Church, takes place of, and is to be preferred before any Interest whatsoever; no bond, no tie, no obligation, natural, civil, or divine, may stand before, or in competition with this Interest of the Church; on this account a child may, and ought to accuse his Parents of heresy( if he thinks they be guilty), though by such accusation he knows, and is assured the life of those that gave him life, will be taken away: also, for that which they call heresy, the Husband is to reject the Wife, the Wife is to forsake her Husband, yea as her greatest enemy to seek his destruction, if he cannot be recalled; for the sake of the Church they may and ought to murder, to rebel against their lawful Governors, to make spoil and havoc of their Native country, yea, and to disregard any word or command of God to the contrary: But this makes way for a  
4. Principle of theirs, namely, That Roman catholics not only may, but it is their duty to take from heretics all that they have; by heretics, they mean Protestants; they may seize upon, and violate their persons; they may burn their Cities, take their Goods and Estates, or lay their Countries desolate: nor herein can they do them any wrong, because such actions are not the effects of Injustice or Malice, but they are formed by a Law, superior in their blasphemous account to any Law of God, which is a decree of Pope Innocent the Third, in the Council of Lateran, and inserted by Gregory the Ninth into the Decretals, and so is become a Law of their Church, and part of that which they esteem as divine Law. By that decree heretics are excommunicated and condemned; also, that the estates of those condemned, are confiscated. Hence it must follow, that the Protestants, which are those condemned heretics, have in their account, and according to the sentence of their Law, no right or title to any Estate, Inheritance, Purchase, Rule, or Government whatever; so that upon this principle it is lawful for any catholic to seize upon, and take into his possession, or to his ufe, any goods of the heretics, who are but Usurpers, and have no right to any thing; yea all sales, contracts, descents of Inheritance, gifts, or forfeitures, are all voided, according to the Law of this Decree, and do belong to the Church of Rome, and are at the disposal of the Pope; nay, all Government and Laws of Protestants are overturned, and hereby cast out of door as Usurpations, and without foundation.  
This usefulness of this principle is great; for hereby the enemies of the Church, that will consider things, may be terrified, and their own people greatly encouraged, they are hereby entitled to all that the heretics have; and it is some comfort that they have a right to their Estates and Riches; yea and a great obligation upon them to be watchful, and courageous to take all advantages to arise and possess what hath been long kept from them. In the mean time, for the more assuring their minds, and lengthening out their patience, the honours and dignities of England are constantly disposed of; not as ours die, but as they drop away to whom the Pope had given them: this is a most alluring bait to a covetous and faithless generation of men, who rejoice in the title, in hopes of a full enjoyment of the honour and estate in due time.  
5. Another principle of no less use to the Papacy, is, That no faith is to be kept with heretics; so that whatsoever Oaths of Allegiance any people take, or give to their Prince to secure his Government, or Person, and oblige themselves to peace and subjection; if the Prince be a Protestant, they are all voided, and the people no way bound to observe or fulfil them, because he is an heretic; so if the Prince take any Oath to secure the just rights and privileges of the people, over whom he is of God set for their good and to observe and maintain inviolably the Constitutions and Laws of the Nation; yet if his people be heretics, he is freed from his Oath; and not only so, but is bound to persecute and destroy them, until they reconcile themselves to the Church; so that no Oaths, ties, or Bonds can give any security to any for liberty, estate, or life, where the Pope is not owned, and their Church not obeied. I will give you but one instance of many, sufficient to clear this; it is of John Hus, a Bohemian Divine, being enlightened, through Gods blessing, upon his reading Wickliffs books, came to see, and be convinced of the abominations in the Papal Church, and to declare to others, how groundless and contrary it was to the word of God. Hereupon Pope Alexander the Fifth condemned and excommunicated him for an heretic: in the year 1414, a Council was called at Constance, to which the Emperor Sigismond commanded Hus to come, and give an account of his Doctrine; withal, giving his Imperial word and promise, that he should come and return in safety: Pope John also being present at the Council, engaged his word and faith for his safe coming to, and return from the said Council: relying upon this seemingly great security, this innocent servant of the Lord went to Constance, where instead of being called before the Council, to give an account of his faith, he was privately examined before a few Apollyon Cardinals, by them committed to prison: The Emperor freting at, and disclaiming the falsehood and injustice of their proceedings, his engaged word and honour therein being openly violated; and suffering the Council to stop his mouth, and save his and the Popes credit, with their own, decreed, That no faith is to be kept with heretics; and that no secular Prince, however they have promised and engaged themselves for their security, shall hinder the prosecution of any heretics, though they appear, relying upon such security, and would not have appeared without it; also they declared, that any one thus bound by Promise, or Oath, was not thereby in the least obliged. Nay, Pope Martin the Fifth, in a writing to the Duke of Lithuania, knocks it home, saying, Thou sinnest mortally, if thou keep thy Oath made with heretics. What should then hinder the burning of John Hus, as they did? and what security can any Protestant Prince in the world have from his Popish Subjects? No Oaths, Promises, or Declarations can oblige them; their Principles do not only free them from any Vows or Oaths made to an heretic, as they call the Protestants, but their Religion binds them to break all such in and for the service of the Church; and he is the most Religious, and best catholic, that deals most falsely and treacherously with the heretics. Herein it is a solly to urge the word of God upon them, condemning and cursing such practices, because the decrees of Popes and Councils is become to them a divine Law, to which they give more heed than to the Law of God.  
Now this darling, though diabolical principle, is of no small avail and use to their Antichristian State. For what now can hinder any deadly commands of the Pope? besides, with great safety and security they may abide in any Court or country; they can swallow Oaths at their pleasure, and break them as they have occasion; nay they account them as nothing in point of Obligation; and if this be a disadvantage, a danger, a terrifying-mischief to a Protestant Prince or People, so it is no less an advantage, a security, and furtherance to the designs and affairs of the Pope: And Oh! I tremble to think of the unsettlement, shaking, and ruin that is laid up in this principle for poor England, that hath so many thousands of these Scorpions lurking in its bowels, waiting but an opportunity to show us their Principles and Faith by their actings.  
6. The last principle of theirs I shall name to you, is this, That the Pope in his Chair, or acts of Government, is not only Infallible, but is in authority above all positive Laws of God or Man; yea some of their Canonists say, That he hath all Law in his breast, so that nothing in Religion or Nature is excepted; he cannot only make what Laws he thinks fit, but he can dispense with, and in a manner unmake those Laws which God hath made; for he can alter, or lay them by as he thinks fit: some of their Writers, as Sylvester, say, That the Pope can do all that God can do; for, saith he, Christ gave it to Peter, an● P●ter to his Successors at Rome; Whatsoever thou shalt bind or loose on Earth, shall be bound or loosed in Heaven. Accordingly herein, says Bellarmine, did Christ give to Peter a power to make that to be sin, which is no sin; and to make that to be no sin, which is sin: Behold the blasphemous pride of the Antichrist; nor is this a piece of flattery by some of his Sycophants, that will tell lies for his honour; but what the Popes in many ages have arrogated to themselves, and acted. Hence it is, that he can dispense with all Oaths, with all bonds of Nature, or ties of Allegiance, with all rules of Righteousness and Honesty; so that the world can have no further security from the Church of Rome, for liberty, life, or property, than what, and as it shall please the Pope to give or allow, whose honesty is not only governed by, but is the same with his Interest, according to which the Members of that Church, especially ecclesiastics, or Religious Votaries, do direct their actings in the world; which cannot be otherwise, seeing they make their Pope in Cathedra, the sovereign Original of all Law and Righteousness; and whatever he commands, is not by them to be disputed, but obeied, and accounted righteous and just, because he commands whom they esteem sovereign and Infallible. Hence it is, that if the Pope do excommunicate a King, the Papists take their measure in reference to the King only from the Popes Sentence; and accordingly, they not only esteem him no King, but can freely plot his destruction; and if they be surprised, can freely take Imprecations, Tests, Oaths, and what not, that they never intended to kill the King, because in their sense he is no King. Thus John castle, a Citizens Son in Paris, after some time spent amongst the Jesuits, attempted to kill Henry the Fourth of France; the reason he gave upon Examination was, That though he turned catholic, yet until the Pope allowed and approved him, he was neither of the Church, nor lawful King.  
Also in the year 1648, when the bloody Papists were suppressed in Ireland, they endeavoured to make as good terms for themselves as they could; but it was objected against them, that they held principles inconsistent with Civil Government; namely, that the Pope can absolve them from their Obedience, That he can depose and destroy Heretical Magistrates, That he can dispense with all Oaths and Contracts they make with those whom they call heretics. Hereupon the chief of them met together about it, and to avoid banishment, agreed and resolved to deny and declare against those principles. This was no sooner heard at Rome, but the Sacred Congregation condemned this resolution as Heretical, and the Subscribers as liable to the penalties due to those who deny the Popes authority in matters of faith: Upon which they were cited to appear at Rome, and Censures and Prisons were prepared for them: see how great a darling the Popes Prerogative in matters of Faith and Morality is, so that none of them can give any farther security of their Loyalty to the King, than the Pope please to allow: he will not suffer them without his dispensation or leave, to do any thing which derogates from his authority as the only Lawgiver; and if he do give liberty to take Oaths and Tests for their security, and better managing their designs; yet according to their principles they are all voided, and no way binding, being made to an heretic.  
I shall not need to enlarge, in showing how useful this principle of the unlimited sovereignty of the Pope, is to his cause and interest; from the belief of this principle it is, that they believe Doctrines contrary to reason and sense; that in their serving the Interest of the Church, they are so disloyal, so cruel, false and unrighteous towards Protestants; that in their Religious matters and worship they are so zealous, obsequious, and ready in acting such severe and bloody chastisements upon their own bodies, even to a loss of health, and sometimes of life; that they are so zealous in observing so many, and so much ridiculous Ceremonies: It is strange to those that are in the light, to see with what awfulness the deluded Papists do Reverence the false relics of Saints, and believe the lies that are  told concerning them; yea, they not only admire relics that are visible, but admit also of some that are invisible, as the shadow of Peter, which healed the sick; the groans of Joseph at his work: these are in some places boasted of, and believed; Oh how irrational, sottish, and brutish is this people in their way of worship! and though they do think they are abused and cheated, and that there is a profane Roguery acted by the Priests in and about their relics; yet such is their dotage, rather than faith, and their judicial bondage of soul, that seeing the Pope allows their relics, and requires their worshipping of them, they awfully and carefully do it, not doubting either their truth, or efficacy to attain their promised end. And so much of their principles contrived to, and arising from, not the Word of God, but the sovereign Will and Interest of the Papacy.  
10. I come now to the last and most deadly device, which I shall name, to set up and establish their Papacy, namely, Violence, and bloody compulsions, and constraints; if the keys of Ecclesiastical authority will not do, the Sword of Civil Power shall, which the Pope accounts his own, as much as the other: For as Christ was made Head over all things to his Church, so( they say) he constituted, and made Peter, and Peter gave and left the same Dominion to his Successors at Rome; so that as the Pope hath the Ministry of the Word to persuade, so he hath the power of the Sword to enforce. And this the Apollyon-beast, or Papal Head is most apt to use; nay that of the word is wholly slighted in respest of this: this is that which the Scorpions, that came out of the smoke of the bottonles pit, do most thirst after; I mean the friars and Jesuits especially, who are the bloody Factors for Hell, and labour to satiate their great Master with the blood of Heretic●s.  
Nor is this an effect of passion, of evil Inclination, or of a bloody disposition naturally inherent in Papists, but it is the natural effect of their Decrees, Principles, and Religion: By the Decree of the Council of Lateran forementioned. Temporal Lords and Princes are to be compelled( if they will not do it otherways), and are to be bound by a solemn Oath to endeavour to the utmost of their power, utterly to destroy all heretics, and to labour in good earnest with all their might to root them all out; and if any Temporal Lord do not execute the heretics within a year, then the Pope is to absolve them that are under him from their Allegiance, his Land is to be seized on by the catholics; and having rooted out the heretics, are to possess it without control; so that here is the foundation of a Decree for the bloody work of killing heretics, to which the fiery zeal of that people is always ready: there wants nothing but opportunity, and the Popes command to arise and slay; and any Land is presently filled with blood, which is marked by them for destruction; often hath the doleful cry, of kill, destroy, burn up these heretics, been heard from, and raised by this people; many Records are against them on this account: so the Albigenses, the Predecessors of the Protestants in France, were destroyed to above Two hundred thousand of them in the space of a few Months; nor is the treachery and cruelty of Papists in France ever to be forgotten. Whereas Mr. meed cites out of Peronius, a Million of Protestants were murdered, then the brave Coligni, Admiral of France, being drawn to Paris by lying, feigned friendship, was slain; nor was this horrid butchery disowned by the Church; but for it they triumphed at Rome, and registered it amongst the famous acts done by Christian Princes against Infidels, wherein they give a particular account of the murdering of the Admiral, not omitting the manner of it, in casting him out of the window, therein comparing him to Jezabel, which Record is to be seen in the Vatican, or public Library at Rome.  
By this method of Blood was the famous Henry the Third of France cut off, because he would not destroy all the Protestants in his country; by a bloody Ravillack was Henry the Fourth of France murdered, notwithstanding his turning Papist, either to avenge the mischief he had done them in the Wars, or because he was not like to do the Pope service, or because he would not seek, or accept the Crown at the Popes hand, or because he was excommunicated as a heretic, and so no King, until restored by the Pope.  
Many also were their devices to destroy Queen Elizabeth of famous Memory, by poison, by a stab, by an invincible Armado. Whence came that Hellish Powder-Plot in King James's time, but from Rome? When the destruction of King, Prince, Parliament, and Protestant Religion in England were intended. Poor Ireland drank deep in this Cup in or about the year 41, or 42, where some Hundreds of thousands were murdered, and that with such merciless and singular cruelty, as if they would out do all the Children of the Devil that ever went before them in such work: much blood of the Waldenses hath at several times been  shed by the Popes Incitations only. Bellarmine boasts of an Hundred thousand slain there at one time; and of late great and woeful murdering of the Ministers and People, with a desolation of the Valleys of Piedmont, Lucerna, and Angrongue, as may be seen in Sir Philip Morlands History of that country: and this by the Pope and his Ministers, the Lord of Trinity.  
Yea Bellarmine gives it as a proof of the truth of the Romish Church, that the Pope hath over-run and destroyed many Kings and Emperors in the East and West, and that none was ever able to subdue him.  
Nor is this Papal Antichrist yet weary of his bloody courses; no, we here in England may say of him at this day, as Chrysostom said of Eudoxia, who threatened his life; Behold Herodias danceth a new, a new she seeketh to cut off John Baptists head: so we may say, Behold the Pope rageth again, and thirsteth for the blood of Protestants: again would the Papists be solacing themselves in the blood of heretics; their murdering of brave Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, was but a spark of their kindled rage; the King, the Protestant Nobility, all or any of them, yea the common people also, that should any way hinder their design, or deny Conformity, had certainly drunk of the same Cup, had their Plot gone on to the intended Execution.  
But I must not enlarge herein; nor need I multiply words, the bare consideration of what they would have, with their device for their attaining it, is sufficient to fill us with admiration, it is but little that I have said herein; yet ex pede Herculem, by the foot you may judge the body, and by this little what the rest is.  
Object. But some may object and say, All that you have said is but the judgement and practise of particular persons, who must answer for themselves: you know that the Papists are not all in their dealings such as you represent them to be.  
Answ. I answer, That though the Writings of some men amongst them may be counted particular, or private; yet the Bulls of their Popes, or Decrees of their Councils, are no private things, or Sentiments, but public and judicial acts, which must be charged upon their Church and Religion.  
It is true, the Papists do not everywhere break Oaths with, or destroy the Protestants; yet when any such thing is done, or attempted for the service of the Church, it is owned and recorded at Rome, not as Treason, Rebellion, or Murder; but as faithful Loyalty to the Pope and Church, whose Religion turns blood into holy Water, and dying for Treason into Martyrdom. This is that which gives such glory at Rome to Regicides, and makes the pictures of Gueret, Guiguard, and Garnet, so much there to be valued; the last of these, who was executed in England only for the Powder-plot, of which he acknowledged himself guilty before he dyed; yet his picture is by allowance publicly sold at Rome with this Inscription, Pater Henricus, &c. that is, Father Henry Garnet hanged and quartered at London for the catholic Faith, May 3. 1606, showing, that Treason and the catholic Faith are one and the same at Rome, as one observes upon it.  
I say, if Papists do not act their principles to the destruction of Protestants with whom they live, it is not because their Religion will not bear it, but Bellarmine gives us the reason, saying, That though heretics ought to be destroyed and cut off, yet if the catholics have not opportunity, or the heretics be too strong for them, they may be let alone. And this is the reason they gave, why England that hath so long lain under the Excommunication and Curse of the Pope, hath escaped, and been suffered by them, because they have wanted opportunity and power to execute that curse upon it: Behold the courtesy of the Church of Rome to us in England, our Throats are not cut, because they cannot do it; they have had a will and desire to it along time, but they have not had opportunity and power to do it: And this is the true reason, according to them and their principles, that we live. I grant that there are some good-natured amongst them, that abhor such principles and practices; but herein they come short of a catholic goodness; and if such appear, or be known to the Zealots, they hardly escape: So Father Paul, who is said to writ the History of the Council of Trent, was with much ado preserved from their bloody Instruments, because he smelled of heresy, that is, detested the abominable Rogueries and villainies of the Church of Rome.  
So that herein I have done them no wrong in charging the Religion and Church of the Papists; for I speak not of their daily practise, but of their fixed and allowed principles, whereby they always approve such things when opportunity serves.  
And now look back, view, and consider in this little glass, or discovery, the form and principles of the Roman Papacy and Church, and you may see how fitly it is called the beast that ascended out of the bottomless-pit, and by its growth in pernicious Errors, and wickedness, hath out-gone the doings of the first beast, and may well be accounted an horrible Monster, without any scriptural or reasonable form; and as at its first appearance, growth, and improvements, it was the object of admiration, for the world wondered after the beast, Rev. 13.3, so he became an object of terror to those that gave up their names to him; but to those in these latter ages, whom God hath enlightened to a separating from that mystical Babylon, an object of scorn and contempt.  
3. I come now to the third Enquiry, namely, Why God suffers such devisers and devices against his Church and Kingdom of his Son? This I shall answer in three particulars:  
1. The Lord, who knoweth all the ways of men, and can prevent their mischief and wicked devices, yet suffers them to device against his Church, yea to prevail much, because of the sins of his people: this brings the wrath of God upon them, and their Enemies are but as the Viol, or Instrument in their Fathers hand, to chastise them for their iniquities, and vindicate his honour, which hath suffered in the world by them. Thus as God stirred up the Enemies of his Church of old against his People, the Syrians and Babylonians, &c. which were oft as the Rod of God upon the back of Israel, and oft times very grievous to them, because of their Idolatry and unfruitfulness; so there is a mystical Papal Babylon to this day, which he can, and doth oft let out against the wife of the Lamb, the true Church, and faithful followers of Christ, to awaken them to repentance, and vindicate his honour by their suffering; it is upon the heart of God to honour himself, and do his people good by all that comes upon them: Howbeit, it is otherwise designed and purposed in the heart of the Papal Whore, namely, to pluck up, and utterly to destroy, and to root out; but the great God, who ruleth in the Kingdoms of men, will make them know that his Council shall stand, and not their devices: This is the first reason why God suffers them, it is not because the Church of Rome is the true Church( which they falsely affirm), and therefore made of God so potent and prosperous; but because of the sins and iniquities of his people, that God lets in the Waves of the Antichristian Sea upon them.  
2. God suffers their devices for the honour of his own Wisdom and Omniscience: The Lord suffereth the policies of Antichrist to be propounded and made ready for execution, while he that watcheth over his Church, seeth all the secret windings and turnings of the Scorpion-crew, all their councils, though never so secret and deeply laid, are fully known to him, and he suffers them to a certain rate and degree, that he may be known to see them. Thus in the Powder-plot, their design was so secretly carried on, so deep, as well as desperate, that they brought it to the very birth; and then the Lord who seeth in secret, brought it to light, when there were but a few hours betwixt the discovery and the execution: and if we consider how long this present Plot hath been upon the Anvil, forming and framing, how deep, how powerful their devices were, we have cause to bear a part in Hannahs triumphing Thanksgiving, 1 Sam. 2.3, Tal● no more so exceeding proudly, let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. Thus, I say, we may reprove the Papists, as she did her Enemies.  
3. God suffers devices against his Church, for the confusion of their Antichristian Enemies; their own ways, method, and devices shall confounded them; pride and arrogancy makes the Roman Church excessively covetous of the subjection of Kings and Nations to it; for this they are as restless and unquiet, as the Devils are, whose ponans and proper inclinations are with restless motions to endeavour the increase of the Kingdom of darkness; or as its Predecessor Heathen-Rome, whose Image she bears, was to increase her Dominion and sovereignty in the world: And as that excess of greatness to which she attained, oversway'd her, and became destructive to her, so as she was said to perish by her own greatness: Thus shall it be with Antichristian-Rome, while she insatiably seeks after worldly greatness, for glory and securi●y, God will turn this device against her self, to her own confusion; those Kings and earthly powers, which now, as a beast, carries and and bears her up, the Lord will cause to cast her down, and of all her enemies will be the greatest.  
And what hath the Roman Church gained by her unwearied attempts, to reduce and bring England again into bondage to its Papacy? What got she by her device of the Spanish Armada in the year 88, which for its greatness, and the Popes Benedictions for its success, was called Invincible, but a vast loss of Treasure, Ships, and Men, and no small disgrace in the world? And what hath Rome gotten by their tyranny and cruelty expressed upon the Protestants in France, and other places, but a more full discovery of their Hellish principles and practices, and a greater hatred against them? Certainly God hath here in England turned the Zeal, and Precipitancy, and Confidence of the Papists to their own ruin; for had they with patience a while waited the success of their debauching the Nations the over-growing Atheism and profaneness of the Nation had in a short time opened an effectual door to Popery, and rendered its entrance an easy thing; but their presumptuous eagerness, through Gods gracious Providence, hath not only alarmed us to see and avoid the danger, but also God hath dissipated their highest assurances.  
We know that God hath in his wise Providence suffered the Papal Church and State for many ages, to have as absolute a sovereignty over Kings and Kingdoms in its, form and way, as the Heathen Emperors had, and to prevail over them, and with an high hand to Massacre and undo them; nor was this a casual thing, but what God in his Providence ordered for the fulfilling of his Word, in 2 Thes. 2. to which I have already spoken; yea and the slavish subjection of the Kings to the Papal beast, was to continue until the mystery of Iniquity be fulfilled, and no longer: but then the case will be altered; when the great God shall turn the scale, then shall the love which those Kings have shewed to the Whore, or false Church, be turned into hatred, and the remembrance of their former captivity and bondage to her, by the means of her lies and witchcrafts, shall stir up an inveterate rage against her; so as these shall hate the Whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, Rev. 17.16. They shall execute revenge to the destruction of the seat of the beast, they shall withdraw their defensive power, and take away the preferments and estates in their respective Countries, which were the main props of it; so as Antichrist shall appear naked, that is, poor and despicable.  
In the mean time, as a pledge of this outward fall of the beast, hath not God by the breaking forth of light, and the beginnings of Reformation, put it into the hearts of many to detest the Papacy, and withdraw from it? Of which Bellarmine himself, though to another purpose taketh notice, that of late the Pope hath lost a great part of Germany, also Swethland, Gothland Norway, Denmark, Great Britain, Switzerland, Bohemia, &c. which defection will be perfected, when the time of avenging the blood of the Saints, which cry from under the Altar, be come; then shall God give her also blood to drink, because she is worthy.  
4. The last particular to be inquired into, is, how God makes voided, and brings to nought the devices of this people? Take an account of this in four particulars:  
1. God hath sometime and still doth bring to nought the devices of this people, by raising up amongst the Protestants faithful watchmen, carefully and industriously to look into the Papal affairs and designs; such was Secretary Walsingham, in the civil affairs, who in his time was a worthy and faithful Patriot of his Country, who scorned the Papal Gold, and would not be bribed to Indiligence, or Treachery, but watched the councils at Rome, sound ways to know their most secret devices, and accordingly gave warning to the preservation of the Queen and Government; some such in one capacity or other, doth the great God, who sitteth upon the circled of the Earth, raise up amongst the Protestants, either to oppose or utterly to evacuate their devices; eminently useful that way was our Famous Queen Elizabeth, not only in her own Kingdoms, but in foreign parts also. For by her assistance with Gods blessing on the endeavours of the house of Orange, the most vigorous impressions of the Papists were not only resisted, but also a great part of the Netherlands rescued from the Papal bondage; and in despite of their bloody Agents and Attempts, settled the United Provinces in a quiet and secure State, which through Gods blessing hath so greatly flourished, notwithstanding all the curses of the Pope, therein found to be fallible.  
And as to the concerns of doctrine and worship, God hath never, nor ever will be without faithful watchmen and witnesses in all ages, to testify against the damnable errors and abominations in the worship, principles and practices of the Roman Church; I have not room for the names of such, or the circumstances and remarkable providences of God in raising such up, and prospering their endeavours; but shall conclude, that this testimony against the Papal Antichrist shall never cease, but the light thereof shall grow greater and greater, to the convincing the misled and deluded World, even until the time come when the Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth; and shall destroy him by the brightness of his coming, as hath been foretold by the Infallible Spirit of truth, as in 2 Thes. 2.7.  
2. God brings to nought their devices, by touching the hearts of some of the Conspirators to make discovery of their designs; and that when they were even ripe and fit for action, this hath been found like a slipping-knot, which they could never by any means secure; For when their agents have been by many reasons convinced that the Plot was probable, profitable, and also a meritorious work, yea and have been fortified by the Popes blessing, and promise of pardon, and have also been engaged to secrecy and action; by all the Promises, Vows, Oaths, and Sacraments they could be brought under; yet still one or other by an unseen hand, hath been smitten, filled and overcome with fear, troubled in conscience, and could not rest without discovery; though I might give many instances for this, yet for brevity sake I shall wave them. The example in this day of Oats and Bedlow, and of some others also, making discovery of this horrid Flot, may be s●fficient; Oh how greatly hath the hand of God appeared herein! No doubt but the offers of riches and honour made to these men by the Pope or grand Conspirators, were far greater than any advantage or gain they did or could hope to make by the discovery. But the Lord awakened their Spirits and Consciences hereunto, and to him alone we must give the praise.  
3. God bringeth to nought their devices, by blasting and rendering them unfruitful; he hath and doth often take success from their endeavours; he plagues them with a miscarrying womb: how probable soever their devices against England hath been; yet still they have stumbled at the threshold, and could not get into the Execution thereof; all their great endeavours, deep counsels, well-laid Plots, still evaporate and come to nothing, their 88, their designs and methods of poisoning or stabbing, with their Hellish Powder-plot, where are they? What have they produced, but their own shane? And now once more God hath appeared against them, and broken the neck of their Dagon, their M●ster-piece. Oh how insolent and obstinate is this Papal people, that will not see the Lords arm stretched out against their bloody and ungodly devices! the heathen pharaoh and Egypt, a type of this Papal Antichrist, will rise up in judgement against them, as being more vile and obstinate; for they when their host was disordered, and their Chariot-wheels taken off in the Red-Sea, cried out, Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians; but these Papists see not, nor will they se●; as if they imputed all to an heathen fate, and denied the being and governing of Gods providence over human affairs; and surely as they exceed Egypt in obstinacy and pride, so the plagues and destruction of this spiritual Babylon, and Mother of Harlots, shall in her day of vengeance exceed the plagues of Egypt.  
4. There is yet one way more I shall name, whereby God hath and will as effectually as by any, evacuate and bring to nought their devices, even in the most bloody and dreadful execution of them; And that is the faith and patience of his Saints and witnesses: as the holy seed are called out of the world by the Spirit of Truth and Holiness; so they keep the commands of God, and have the testimony of Jesus; for this the Dragon makes War with them, wherein he cannot nor ever shall prevail: for as they are called to profess and bear their testimony, so also to suffer; and herein by the arms of the Almighty they have been made strong, so as the gates of Hell have not prevailed against their testimony; their meekness and quiet submission to the will of God, their taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods, their resisting to blood, that is, to a free and willing offering of their own blood for the sake of Christ, this hath prevailed and overcome more than any worldly power could do.  
Thus in the days of heathen Romes Empire, when by the Instigation of the grand head of apostasy, Satan, its Emperours( thereby showing whose children they were) used all imaginable cruelties against the Christians, to force them from their testimony to, and profession of Christ; yet herein they were so far from prevailing, that the number of Christians greatly increased in the midst of torturing; so as Dioclesian, who above all before him vowed and endeavoured to root out Christianity, raised the last and greatest persecution; when he had done his utmost, prevailed not, but in a melancholy fit resigned his Empire, whereby he confessed himself overcome by the Christians; and what were their weapons, but Prayers, Tears, and Blood? and by these they overcame.  
The like victory hath the faith and patience of the Saints had over the Papal devices; the patient and cheerful sufferings of the Protestants under cruel burnings and tortures, the shedding of their blood from time to time, hath greatly prevailed against them; As the Author of the Council of Trent observes, that the death of Anu Du Burg, so Eminent a person, made many to inquire into the cause of his death, which he endured with so great courage and cheerfulness, whereby the number of Protestants was much increased in France.  
I grant that the blood of Christians,  shed by heathen Rome, was abundantly more than the blood of Protestants  shed by Papal Rome; yet the cry of the latter is far greater, and the guilt of Papal Rome is abundantly more than the guilt of heathen Rome, because they acted as heathens, and in their blindness thought they did their duty; they were guided by their hellish Oracles, and thereby a necessity laid before them to root Christianity and the very name of it out of the World. But now the Papal Church owns Christ, and the Scriptures, pretends their Pope to be the Vicar of Christ, to represent his person on earth; hence is the cry of the blood  shed by them far greater; for Christ came not to destroy mens lives, but to save them. Luk. 9.56. The Pope in pretence and hypocrisy rose like a Lamb, but hath acted like a Lion, as coming into the World not to save but to destroy mens lives, however he pretends a Ministry of the Word, yet he in truth useth only the Sword; and having attained the Image of the first Beast, heathen Rome, doth the same works the first Beast did; yet by all hath not prevailed, the faith and patience of the Protestant Saints hath prevailed and shall prevail against him and his devices; he admires his worldly grandeur and power, but God points at his suffering-witnesses, as if he would have men and Angels take notice of, not their arms and worldly force and circumstances; but saith he, Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints, Rev. 13.10. And hereby shall they get a glorious conquest over Antichrist and all his devices, as they have in part already done, Rev. 12.11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.  
But this shall suffice for Answer to the Queries proposed in the entrance of the discourse; whereby ye may see what this people are, what they would have, also what their Papacy is, and what their devices are to promote it, &c. By all which we may conclude that this Papacy is an human invention, hath no foundation in Scripture; and as it was brought forth by the powers of the World, so by fleshly and worldly powers and devices it is upheld; the very consideration whereof may induce us upon a rational account, and much more if we give heed to the Scriptures, the word of God, to conclude two things:  
1. That it's our duty to separate from this Idolatrous Church that is not at all worthy of that name or title; for what is Rome but the seat of Tyranny, the cinque of all abominations? This is the mother Church the Papists boast of, and so much urge us to return to. I shall not enter upon the Justifying of our separation from the Church of Rome, it is abundantly made good by several late writers amongst us; The very Consideration of what this Papacy and Roman Church is, is enough for us to enter a Protest against her; for which the Scripture is our warrant, Rev. 18.2. Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of Devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bide: This cannot be meant of literal Babylon the seat of the Assyrian Monarchy, which was ruined long before Johns time; But it must be meant of a mystical Babylon; which fully agrees with the Roman State and Church, the seat of Antichrist; upon the forehead of this Whore is said to be written, Rev. 17.5. Mystery, Babylon the great, the Mother of Harlots, and abominations of the Earth; to what state or form in the world can this agree, but to that of the Papacy? The whole of it is a deep and profound mystery of iniquity, acting ungodliness under a pretence of piety and of serving God; and as Babylon lifted up it's self to tyramnize and act cruelty upon the world, especially the Church of God; so is this mystical Babylon greatly exalted, and lifts up her self above all that is called God; and whereas the great Babylon is called the Mother of Harlots, because there began the Demon-worship, or the Invocating of their Heroes, and worthy men, after death, whom they made their Mediators, and hereby eminently guilty, as the Founders of a new Idolatry, which in Scripture is called Fornication, or a breach of the Marriage-Covenant betwixt God and his people; so is this mystical Babylon, Papal Rome, the Mother of Harlots, being the first and only in the world professing Christ, that erected and acted a new Idolatry of praying to Saints departed, yea and hath brought in, and mixed the Religious use of Images with the worship of Christ; hereby was life given to the Image of the beast; that is, all the Demon-worship and false worship which the first beast or Heathen Rome used, was and is by Papal-Rome, under other forms and names, brought into use; to which if ye may add the allowed Whoredoms, Witchcrafts, Perjuries, Murders, &c. at Rome where the Pope presides and rules, we may well say this is the Babylon the seat of Abominations; now this Church having broken with Christ, and turned him and his government out of doors, surely it is our duty to separate from her, from all her false Doctrines, Worship, Ordinances, and Authority; yea and from every thing that scents or savours of Rome, that hath aliquid commune cum Antichristo, any thing used by them, as a badge of their Hierarchy; and this is but what God calls for, Rev. 18.4, 5. Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: For her sins have re●ched unto Heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.  
And as we in England are justifiable in our separating from the Idolatrous Papacy and Church of Rome, as having therein done but our duty; so it is a vain and evil attempt for any to go about to reconcile the Church of England, and the Church of Rome together, wherein they act great Treachery to the Protestant Religion; it is a giving up the cause of Christ in which so many worthy persons, some for learning, all for Piety to God, have willingly lost their lives; England may go over to Rome, but Rome can never come to us; so far as there is any compliance with Rome, so far we are no longer Protestant but Popish; certainly England is or should be as far from compounding or complying with Rome, as light is with darkness; That Whorish and Idolatrous Church, that hath broken the Marriage-knot, and is gone from Christ in his Doctrine, Discipline, and Authority, should for ever be to us in England, as Amalek was to Israel, with whom they might never make peace, because it was a Nation hated of God, and designed to be rooted up, and utterly destroyed. And those that have endeavoured at least some communion betwixt England and Rome, what have they herein attained, but shane and confusion to themselves? It hath proved like Israels return to Egypt, forbidden of God, and destructive to them that did so; surely the first module of Reformation in England, sets it at a greater distance from the Church of Rome, its authority, doctrines, and worship, than that any should hope ever to unite with them again; yet that was but in a measure to stop the clamorous mouths of the zealous Papists; or as the age could bear it: They intended that but as a sample and beginning of that Reformation and separation from the Church of Rome, which the ensuing age, if any so faithful to the truth and interest of the Gospel were found in it, should perfect. This is but what the first Reformers declared in the preface to the Book of Common-Prayer. Well then, let us equally abhor a going backward to Papal Rome, and a standing still in the old and first degree of Reformation; Let us press on to a more full separation from that mystical Babylon, that we may not partake of her sins, lest we partake of her plagues also.  
2. A second thing you may and ought to conclude from the whole, is this, namely, That this Papal and Antichristian State shall and must fall, how glorious soever it is; though to the eye of sense and reason it seems very strong and powerful, to secure, to save and preserve its self; yet it cannot stand, for it hath no foundation from Heaven, all is earthly, carnal, sensual, and devilish, it is built upon the Sand of human Inventions and Authorities; and in due time, in its ripeness for destruction, it shall fall, and great will be the fall thereof.  
I confess the outward circumstances of that Church have for a long time been such, as it might well, to a deluded or undiscerning world, seem invincible, especially if considered with the Improvement the Papal Writers have made of them. Hence they abound with boastings of former Victories over Infidels and heretics, whereby they would persuade us to think Rome that Church against which no power nor policy can ever prevail; and also of their own State and Church conclude, That it is so rooted and fixed, that it cannot fall, but the world must be ruined with it. And therefore all attempts of Princes and earthly powers have been always vain and fruitless, and so they ever shall be. Thus Campanella in his History of the Spanish Monarchy concludes: saith he, Though all Princes and People should combine and unite their strength to dissolve and destroy the Papacy and State of the Roman Church, yet they would not be able to effect it; for if in that case the Pope should publish but one Bull, one Croysada( which is the beating of the Papal Drum to War), all Religious persons, of which there are many Millions, would from all parts of the world fly to Arms, and with their Pens and Swords, with all their might, terrify the Enemy, and restore or preserve the Pope; nor will the people dare to bear arms against such Religious persons( or spiritual Fathers); for if they should, the greater part of them would fall by their Sword, and the rest would be discomfited, yield, and cry for mercy. Yea though the Pope were a wicked and vile person, yet if any Prince should War upon him, and also prevail, yet he would find himself therein conquered and subdued: An example whereof we have in Roger King of Naples, who warred against the Pope, and also prevailed; yet was at last forced in the top of his Victory to kiss the Popes feet.  
Thus one of the Sons of pride boasted of the Papal strength, in their eye invincible, so as no State in the world is in their account more secure, or in less danger to be removed; nay on this account, they are more ready to invade, than to fear invasion and disturbance from others.  
But now consider this Idolatrous, yet self-exalting, and boasting Church of Rome, under the aspect and influence of Gods Power, Justice, and Word, and you may see it withering; you may perceive rottenness in its bones, and even ready to fall.  
1. It cannot stand before the Power of God: He that calls things that are not, as if they were, that bringeth to nothing the most mighty things that are; before whom the mountains and greatness of the earth is as nothing, yea less than nothing; and the glory of this power will and shall exalt its self above every glory and greatness that is opposed thereunto; so that this mighty Antichrist that exalteth himself to be equal with God, yea above all that is called God, shall be brought down to Hell, and fall headlong into the pit of destruction.  
When God would comfort Israel under the Assyrian tyranny and bondage, or fortify them against the fear of the swelling greatness of that Empire, he calls his people to consider his own Almightiness put forth in the Works of Creation, that they might not despond, but believe, that God was able to save them, and also pull down the greatness of their enemy; and why should not we on the same account be persuaded, that Antichrist, how great soever, shall fall before the mighty power of God?  
2. Weigh this Popedom in the balance of the Sanctuary, and it will be found too light and appear to be Reprobate: take the Scripture, the Rule of judgement betwixt God and Man, and thereby measure it, and ye will not only see, but conclude and believe its destruction; for how can, or what reason have any( that will judge according to the Word of God) to conclude, That that which hath no appointment from Chri●●, no approbation from the Word, save what is gained by an horrible and impious distorting and abuse of Scripture, hath no promise of a blessing upon it, n●y which the word plainly threateneth with dissolution and destruction, can stand? Certainly the Abbot of Welcomb( if I mistake not the name of the place) shewed himself more a Divine, and was more right in the case than Cardinal Campanella before-mentioned, who in the time of Henry the Eight, King of England, discovered to a friend of his the great fears he had of the fall of the Papal Hierarchy: Why, said his friend, how can that be, especially here in England, where the King is so good a catholic, so zealous for holy Church; where also the Nobility and Commons are so unanimous in their subjection to Rome? But, said he, Pray my Lord, What is the reason of your fear? why, said the Abbot, the Scripture I remember saith, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Now, said he, I have red the Scriptures over and over, but could never find such a thing, or term, as Pope, Lord Cardinal, Prior, Abbot, friar, or Monk, or any such Office or Order of which the Church of Rome doth consist: therefore I am persuaded they are not of God, and therefore cannot stand. This was spoken by one of a fore-boding mind, that was unawares prophetical in the case; for not long after, the same King cast off the Popes Supremacy, destroyed the Societies of abbeys and Nunneries, seized all into his own hand, and laid the foundation of the ensuing Reformation.  
I say, let any but consider of the Papal State according to the word, and he will not only easily see that it is a foreign plant, but will also see reason to believe that it is abominable in the sight of God, and shall and must be destroyed, the Lord will effect it both mediately and immediately; and when he comes to contest with it, little will all its powers and policies avail to save it.  
3. Consider the Papal Church under the aspect of divine Justice, which is so much provoked by its Impieties, and its falling will appear; as Justice hath an eye to see, so it hath an hand to recompense its self, and execute vengeance for all the abominations of that Idol-Church; they that believe that God is essentially righteous in his nature, must also believe him to be righteous in his distribution of punishments; and though the execution of them, for righteous ends be deferred, yet her damnation sleeps not, it is coming upon her, and shall be proportioned to her sin, and to her security: however secure they are in the Roman Church; yet when the Lord comes to execute wrath upon them, even while they cry, Peace, peace, there shall come upon them sudden destruction, as on a woman in travail. Rome hath a long time heaped up sin, sins of fleshly and spiritual fornication, cruelty against, and shedding the blood of the followers of the Lamb, &c. And what can she expect at the Lords hand but blood, of which she is worthy? How shall Justice acquit its self, to let the seat of wickedness wholly escape? no, it cannot be, but when her heap of sin shall reach Heaven, when her sin be full, the Lord will execute vengeance long since threatened against her: so it is Rev. 18, Her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities; reward her even as she rewarded you: and this reward shall be measured out according to her presumption and security in acting all her crying abominations: so the Scripture speaks, R●v. 18.7. How much she hath glorified her self, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her; for she saith in her heart, I sit a Queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow; therefore her plagues shall come in one day, which is utter ruin.  
But because the circumstances of the days we live in, call for Thanksgiving and Humiliation; I shall for the more full advance of both, offer a few things to consideration, concerning this horrid Device, or Plot of the Papists now under discovery and consideration.  
1. It was a ruining design to the Government, Laws, and established Religion in England: for Popery cannot be brought in but by the ruin of these: these and Popery cannot stand together; for the great and chief end of Popery is Greatness and Dominion; whatever appearance they have of Religion, it is but for the sake of, and in subserviency to that. Hence it is, that those Darlings of the great Apollyon, or destroyer, the Jesuits, in all their Writings, so stretch their Wits to form their Religion and its Principles that way, as if the great and only end of the Church of Christ here on Earth, were to subdue the Civil Powers and Interest of Kings and Kingdoms to it: And what is it they aim at in En●land, that they scruple with such unweariedness to set up Popery here? Is it to reduce, and bring us off from some damnable Errors, or to save our souls from Hell? If that were their sincere end, they would use other methods and weapons; no, the Error we are guilty of, is our not subjecting to the abominable and whorish Papacy, to lying wonders, to an Idolatrous Mass, and cursed Doctrines of Devils; and the Hell they call to us to avoid, is the Popes Hell, the Hell of his Curse and Excommunication. But these are but covers to their greater design, which is to reduce the Nation to a subjection, to pillage and spoil, that the Locusts which came out of the bottomless-pit, Monks, friars, and Jesuits, may swarm here, may Lord and Master it here, may devour the fat of the Land, that the Popes Coffers may be once again filled out of England, a little iceland, but always a rich spot to the Pope. There is also a sleeping title of the Popes to be asserted; and we are beholding to him for his patience in forbearing and suffering so long: England was once[ in King Johns time] tributary to Rome, and the King held his Crown in Fee of the Pope; so that he had a full power to set up and pull down, to confirm or alter, to assess and tax the Nation: this is the reason of their striving, with so great eagerness to reduce this Nation; not to make us better, but to captivated King and Kingdom, to sacrifice our estates, bodies and souls to the Will and sovereignty of the Pope. We may well call it a ruining design.  
2. It was a bloody Plot and Device; and should and ought so much the more awaken us to our duty. Though the mentioning of blood may startle those that are influenced by their humanity, or natural conscience; yet it is pleasing enough to the Papists, being thereto authorised by their Principles, and common Sentiments, and Doctrines of their allowed Authors, who tell them, That heretics being under the Popes curse, may be killed by any, yea it is a Religious work to destroy them; and that their blood is no more to be regarded, than the death or blood of a Dog. This being rooted in their minds, when opportunity serves, their hellish and blind zeal breaks forth to kill and destroy with all their might: they say of shedding the blood of Protestants, as David of Goliahs Sword, None like that.  
But there was not only choice of this course from their false principles and errors of mind; but the necessity of their affairs and undertakings cast them upon it; for the more great and dangerous their design was, the more bloody and cruel they must have been, not only for revenge, or out of zeal, but for their own security; on which account no Friend nor Relation could have been spared that in the least measure stood in their ways: by them the King must have been murdered, all the faithful Protestant Nobility they must have destroyed; they could not have spared, but must have filled the Land with blood, that they might have filled it with terror; there was nothing else could have given them any probable hopes of success, or security to their party. The hazard of their own lives and estates in the execution of this design, could no way have been eased or removed, but by a liberal shedding the blood of others; and if for the sure effecting their Plot, they had brought in a foreign assistance, as we m●y reasonably conclude, I tremble to think what ravening, what killing what spoil, plundering, and firing, would then have abounded: If the English Papists out of their inbred-generosity might have been a little sparing and temperate, the Irish Butchers would have supplied that defect; and who should have restrained them? They have approve I themselves in Hellish cruelty: red but the History of the Irish Massacre, and as in a glass you may see how England should have sped.  
Also in the execution of this Plot, their miscarriages and bad success in their former attempts upon England, would have come into remembrance to increase the flamme of their fury; they were now resolved to strike home, to mend their old faults, and do their work effectually; the increase of Protestant Martyrs should have swelled to the amazement of future ages; and if ever the Papists shewed their cruelty any where in the world, it would have exceeded here in England, because in no country the light of the Gospel hath so abounded, and such discoveries been made of the abominations and filthiness of the Papal Church, as here; no where such scorns and contempts have been put upon the Pope and his authority as here; the repeating of which from year to year hath ingenerated, yea and heaped up wrath in the minds of that people, until they were ready to burst with rage, all which should have been poured forth in this execution: Oh how joyful a cry to them would it have been, as in Paris, kill, destroy, cut the throats of these heretics, these Dogs that are not worthy to live! How pleasant a sight to them would the running of the blood of Protestants in the streets have been! They that did not only fire London, but could rejoice in, and, as it were, warm their hands at the flam●s thereof, would now with more content have washed their hands in the blood of Protestants.  
3. Great was their confidence and expectation of success in this Plot. There was never any thing contrived by them, in which they saw a greater certainty than in this; they many ways hinted to us their assurance to carry on their design: The declared expectations and intentions of friars and Monks beyond the Seas in a short time to appear in England in their habits; the bold inquiries of many in Flanders after the King of England's death, as that which was not only d●signed, but must and should be effected; and not only this, but also here in England we had a Confluence of Priests and Jesuits, French and Irish Papists; the being a Papist, or going to Mass, was not now to be hidden, but openly owned, as that which was soon to take its place, and be uppermost in England: All places of Honour or Trust in the Land, were given by the Popes direction, or authority; not a bishopric in the three Nations but had its Titular Popish Bishop; Estates and Dignities were disposed and given, and the Donatees in their own thoughts, and confident expectations, in an actual possession of them: there was in their eye but a step betwixt them and a full possession of them. What meant all this, and much more of the like nature that might have been name, but an high assurance in this people of the success of their Plot?  
Nor was all this Confidence of theirs a dream, the effect of a ●elirium and distempered brain; they did not as Mad-men fancy these things to themselves; but considering the form, instruments, and other circumstances of this Plot, it seemed very rational; I will name but three instances of many, inducing them to believe and conclude a success.  
1. They had a numerous Army, listed and lurking in the bowels of the Nation, that were in a readiness, and waited but for the Word; there was no want of arms or any fatal instruments for killing or burning. Also this army was to be headed, not by contemptible persons, but by the Nobles and principal Gentry in the Land, of the Popish Religion, that their appearance in arms might be the more attractive, or strike the greater awe upon the common-●eople. What there Abettors abroad, and promises of foreign aids were, I cannot say; but we may safely guess without wronging them; on which account the Spanish Plot in 88, was not more promising ●han this.  
2. A second reason of their confidence in this Plot, was the ●niversal engagements and compliance of the Popish party herein, ●t home and abroad. As for those amongst us, though compared with the Protestants in England, are but a few; yet consider them ●s having Estates, and in a body also with all those Atheistical per●ons whom money and promises may easily engage; I say, thus ●onsidered, they are no contemptible party, but may appear very ●owerful; and whatever they are, we have not a family of note, ●ot a person of estate of that party, but was concurring herein; ●nd in one capacity or other should have given their assistance: ●hey were under a Sacramental obligation to secrecy and service; ●o that the communication of their affairs to their whole party, ●as neither doubtful nor dangerous. And if any shall object, that ● am herein very large in accusing, and very uncharitable in judg●ng without evidence; I Answer, that if any of them were not ●ngaged to action, nor consenting herein, why do not they bear their testimony against the illegality and hellishness of it? where ●s the Apology that they or any for them put forth to justify their ●nnocency? This hath been the common and usual way for righteous and Innocent persons falsely accused, to clear themselves; and it ● a reasonable thing in such a day and case, that as many amongst them as had no hand herein, or did not approve it, should enter their Protest against it; but we have no such defence from any of the Popish party; they are all silent in the business: which plainly speaks the universality of their guilt, or concurrence and approbation, and so the greatness of their combination and strength, which is a second reason of their confidence.  
3. The third instance and reason of their confidence of success, which though little in our eye, yet no doubt was great in their eye and account, is the Popes cursing the Kingdom and people in England, excepting his own Subjects, and thereby exposing the Nation to the Fury of the Plotters: to this they give great heed; for they believe that whom the Pope curses, they are cursed, and so made weak and unable to defend themselves. And also, as we are under this curse; so his Agents and undertakers that were to carry on this Plot, were under his blessing; they were furnished with Benedictions, Dispensations and Pardons, and a thousand Masses celebrated for their prosperous success. On these and the like accounts they were so lifted up, so presumptuous and confident of success, that they dared all opposition to prevent or hinder them; they reckoned the day not only a day of Slaughter, but of Triumph also over the cursed heretics.  
4. Lastly consider, That in this Plot none are found engaged but Papists; either they would not trust the secret of so horrid a design in the bosom of any not of their own Religion; or in th● height of their presumption they scorned that any other bu● Roman catholics should be called to assist in the work, as being of themselves sufficient; or unwilling that any besides themselves should share in the glory of so Pious a work. No, the Flot is theirs, and theirs only. It hath been a common device of the Devil to cast the Infamy of vile and base actions upon the Christians, though acted by Heathens; but herein either his policy failed him, or his confidence deceived him; for no hand but of Papists i● found to be in this Plot; no not any other, not so much as by ● secret whisper accused about it. It's well it is their own, it suits the● best; and let the infamy and reproach, yea let the guilt and punishment of it be theirs for ever.  
Now upon the serious consideration of these or the like circumstances, the following inferences will clearly rise, and may b● profitably collected.  
1. That as there is a God, so there is a providence of God▪ ordering and directing all concerns and events in the world; no● only the effects of nature in inferior creatures, whose inbre● properties, dispositions, and inclinations, are at his dispose and command, to act either according to, or contrary to the law of their nature, for the fulfilling of his secret will and purpose, or of his revealed will in the threatenings or promises of his word: so Psalm. 148.8, Fire, hail, snow and vapour: stormy wind, fulfilling his word.  
But also, in the elicit and voluntary acts of his rational creatures, God hath the whole rule and government; For as Gods providence upholdeth the being of man, and of all his faculties; so it guideth all the affairs of man, not by permission of man, but by the sovereignty of God, yet without the least depriving man of his liberty in acting; for though man acts necessary in respect of Gods eternal purpose which must come to pass, yet he acts freely and without constraint from God; for even the very inclinations and motions of mans will is also in the Lords hand, whereby it comes to pass that man truly and freely acts and does his own will even when he necessary and unavoidably fulfilleth Gods purpose; so that in regard of the remote cause which is Gods unchangeable purpose fulfilled by his ordering providence, we say that God did this or that, because it is but what God willed to be done; but in respect of the immediate cause or means, we say this or that thing or person did it, which is far from excluding the first cause and providence of God, if rightly understood; For the second cause even of voluntary agents, does wholly depend upon the government, direction, and assistance of the first cause, Jer. 10 23. O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh, to direct his steps. He must have some guide or governor to direct him in, and to his proper work and proper end; therefore whatsoever he do, be it good or evil, the Lords hand of providence is in it; there was nothing in the horrid act of the Jews betraying and crucifying of Christ, but what was according to the secret will and purpose of God; the Combination of Jew and gentle against the Lord Christ was but,( Acts 14.28.) for to do whatsoever his hand and council determined before to be done; Not that God hath been ever, or is, or can be in the least concurring to sin, in regard of its obliquity; though in regard of an holy and wise end, he wills the existence and being of sin: for God would never have suffered sin in the world, had he not foreseen and willed a greater good to come out of it; thus by the fall of man, which was not without the providence of God, nor was it any thing but what God had from eternity determined should be in time, came the glad tidings of Salvation by Christ into the world; so also in the great confusions which mans pride and corruption brings upon the affairs of the world, lye hidden under a beautiful order of Justice and Goodness, which God hath willed should be thereby glorified.  
Nor can it hence arise or be inferred that God is the Author of sin; For though God doth as a Supreme Cause and Principle of nature concur with, and assist the will even in evil actions, without which no evil action can be effected; yet God hath no share or hand in the iniquity of the action; For God and nature never effect any thing but what is good, for the sin of the action proceed, and flow, from another principle; Namely, the corruption and obliquity of mans nature, which as the immediate cause gives the faultiness to vicious actions; so that the good which is in the world as it was foreseen and from eternity fore-appointed of God, so in time God by his active providence, in and by ordained instruments, means, and ways, produces it: But the wicked and evil things in the world, God hath foreordained their being for his own glory, and his providence concurreth with, and produceth them by way of Operative permission; that is, the Lord withdrawing his grace from men, and leaving them to their own lusts, he ordering all concurring-objects and circumstances which mans corruption readily misimproveth to a bad end, and concurring with and assisting the natural principle of the action, the sin is acted and produced, which action as to a remote cause in respect of his eternal purpose, and providence in time, is ascribed to God, and the Lord is said to do it, thus the Scripture speaks liberally, Gen. 45.8. Not you sent me hither, but God. Also God is said to harden the heart of pharaoh. and Psal. 105.25, He turned the minds of the Egyptia●s, that they hated his people. All these, and the like instances must be understood in respect of Gods will and purpose before time; and also, of his operative permissive providence in time, suffering the sin, and actively concurring with and producing the natural pretext of the action which is good, as it is the work of God and Nature.  
And as God suffers sin to be in the World, either as a judgement or occasion of mercy; so his providence sets bounds and limits to the principle, and also to the acting of sin in the world; as his providence bounds the Great and raging Ocean, saying to it, Hitherto shalt thou go and no farther; so the great and wonderful providence of God, limiteth and boundeth the lusts and evil ways of man, so that though he seem to do what he will, yet he doth nothing but what God hath appointed, and in his providence ordereth him to do; Prov. 16.9. A mans heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. Whatever his thoughts and counsels are, they are under Gods ordering-providence, and when he comes to the execution, he can do nothing but by leave and divine concurrence; if God frowns upon him, or withdraw his concurrence, his Chariot wheels soon go off, and he is at a stand in the midst of his work, or suffers an unexpected or unthought-of diversion to some other unintended Issue, so Psal. 76.10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.  
I say, the discovery of this hellish Plot of the Papists, with the general workings of Antichrist in the world, is a visible demonstration of a providence of God, that governeth all the affairs of men; the great Monarchies that filled the earth in their time with their greatness, the Assyrian, Persian, graecian, and the Roman-Monarchies, yea even as this last subsisteth in, and is lengthened out by the Papal-Monarchy, are all by the providence of God. The Lord raised them to their greatness, continued them their appointed time; and when their night or time of disappearing came, he dispatched three of them out of the earth; and as he had a hook in theirs, so also he hath in the nostrils of this Papal beast; whatever his wrath against the true Lamb and his followers be, yet it is limited by the Lords providence, so as he cannot do what he would do.  
Nor is this an empty speculation, but a truth of great use, to oblige the true servants of Christ to patience and quiet submission in an evil and suffering day, seeing there is no evil of Persecution or suffering for the sake of the Gospel but by the providence of God, who is also through Christ their Father. Thus our dear Saviour encouraged himself to patience and submission in the time of his suffering, Joh. 18.11, The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? So also it is a point of great comfort, not only to the Church of God encompassed with so many oppositions, so filled with the impressions and devices of Antichrist, but even to all mankind; yea even the whole creation is hence refreshed: for considering the corruption of fallen man, in its divers branches of pride, self love, unrighteousness, enmity against God, the original good, with a continual propensity to evil; What peace? what order, security or subsistence could there be in the world, were there not a Providence of God, guiding all things to their proper end, bounding, limiting and restraining the wickedness of man? Psal 79.1. The Lord reigneth, let the earth be glad. If there were not a providential Kingdom of God, the Kingdoms of men, yea of the whole world, would soon be confounded.  
2. As there is a Providence of God, so it is the duty of all mankind to give to God the glory and honour of his providence, especially they that know God, and consider the works of his hands are herein concerned; the great effects of Gods Power, Wisdom and Goodness that appear amongst us, should greatly engage our hearts to adore God in his Providence. Oh by how many wonderful acts of Providence here in England hath God asserted his Being, Wisdom, Goodness and Strength, which loudly call upon us to exalt the name of God. When Jethro had an account from Moses, of Israel's deliverance out of Egypt, with all its circumstances, see how it enlarged his heart to worship God, Exod. 18.11. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them. And have we not an answerable cause here in England, thus to speak & think to Gods glory? For wherein the Papists were so strong, secret, and confident, he was above them; he whose presence silleth the whole Earth, from whom nothing can be hide, was present with these hellish Plotters at Rome, in Flanders, and in England, beholded all their most secret and serpentine windings, turnings and hidings; and while they cried peace and success to their designs, of a sudden brought to light their works of darkness, took off their Chariot-wheels, cast the plotters into their own pit, made them to perish by their own devices, as he brought Haman to die upon his own Gallows. Well may we say as the Psalmist, Psal. 106.8. He saved us for his Names sake, that he might make his power to be known amongst us. And does not the Lord who is holy, and intendeth his glory in and by all his works, expect that we in this Land especially, should in an active way glorify God that hath saved us in some measure? Surely we should say, as Psal. 62.11. Once God spake, twice have I heard it, That power belongs to God. Certainly, if ever people had cause to make a thankful record of Gods merciful providence to them, this Nation of England hath; that the Lord should in due time put forth his saving arm and rescue us, when the sword of these bloody Papists was half drawn, their arrows upon the string, and the Nation in a sleepy security, and fitted for slaughter: Oh how should this whole people, especially the sincere lovers of the Gospel, bespeak themselves and others in the words of Psal. 107.14, 15. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful acts to the children of men.  
3 Infer. In the third place we may infer, That it is the duty and concern of a people that are come out of this mystical Babylon, the Papal Church, which is nothing but the seat of Antichrist, to trust in God, to commit themselves and cause to him that seeth, that looks after them, in bearing their testimony; for as the Devil shall never be able to pluck out of Christs hand those which the Father hath committed to his care and keeping, so nor shall Antichrist his substitute prevail against those that have the mark and seal of Christ on their foreheads; he shall not prevail against their profession and testimony, no nor against their outward safety and peace, while they lean upon the Lord in righteousness and in truth; when the floods of the Papal See lift up their voice and roar, yet the prophesying and pure Church of Christ is out of their reach, they shall not overflow her. We have a signal deliverance begun in the Nation, in the all-sufficiency of Christ our Head we may see its perfection; yea far greater ones in store for a believing people that trust in his name, and put themselves under the shadow of his wing. Let us then so consider God in his works and ways of salvation, as to raise up an holy confidence in our hearts to bear a more full and faithful testimony against this mystical Babylon, the Papal Church, & against all its abominations; their policies are foolishness, & their combined strength but weakness before the Lord; let us then take hold of his Covenant and Promises, and improve the consideration of what he hath done for us, upon our spirits, so as we may be able to say as David, in Psal. 27.1, 2, 3. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? when the wicked, even mine enemies, and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an best should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. Yea, let us with an holy confidence and reliance upon God, reprove these bloody and insulting Papists, as Hannah did her enemy, 1 Sam. 2.3. Talk no more so exceeding proudly, let not arrogance come out of your mouth; for God is a God of knowledge, by him actions are weighed. Let us not fear their fear, nor be afraid of them to a forgetting the Lord who hath a hook in the nostrils of that great Leviathan the Pope, and can wring the prey out of his mouth at his pleasure.  
This surely is the way of Israels safety, namely, to make the Lord alone their refuge: some put their trust in chariots, and some in horses; that is, rely upon worldly wisdom, power and strength, for security; ●his is the way of the Papal Monarchy, Antichrist is founded upon, and stands by carnal powers and policies which are fleshly and devilish; but the true Church of Christ is built upon the rock of ages, upon which they that righteously lean and rest shall never be confounded.  
4. A fourth Inference is, That they are no better than enemies to the interest of the Gospel, and to the Kingdom of England, under its Protestant circumstances and relations, that can, and do flatter, fawn upon, and in a sort creep to this Idolatrous and abominable Church of Rome; that hold correspondence with its bloody factors, under some plausible pretences; that can compliment with that Church, as if they were unwilling to lose its favour, or would give them hopes to return again to her; these make the difference betwixt Rome and us in England so small, that a little condescension and yielding on either part, might again unite us.  
Of this sort are they, that out of seeming zeal for established modes of worship and ceremonies, do so far condemn and outrage dissenting Protestants, though not a little serviceable against the Popish interest, yea equally with, if not more than themselves; though the dissenting Protestants be found in the faith, sober, peaceable and loyal in their behaviour, yet they are so far exploded and rejected, that in respect of these, the Papists are by them said to be far more allowable and desirable. And least I should be thought falsely to reflect upon any, I will transcribe one passage out of a late Book, in the Preface to Bishop Bramhall's Vindication, wherein saith the Author, Pope Urban the Eighth desired some English Gentlemen to assure their Country men, that he was a man as much as themselves. And had he said a better Christian than the Puritans, I should not have troubled myself to contradict his Infallibility; for I think them to be the worst people of all mankind, a S●ct that will agree with you in the fundamentals of Religion, but will take miff and destroy all for a trifle; and rather than submit to an innocent ceremony, though imposed by lawful authority, will ruin Kingdoms, murder Bishops, rebel against their sovereign, banish Queens, declare them Traytors, imprison and depose their King, and make way as plain as can be for their murder. As for the Roman catholics I must have a greater kindness for them than the former Firebrands, as being an adversary more learned, and so to be expected more civil and gentle; and wherein they differ from us, they look upon as fundamental, and so have a greater reason for their dissent than our fanatical Presbyterians, &c. With much more stuff of this nature which his foul mouthed pen hath dropped out. This is one of those that dare not call the Papal state Antichristian, that can kiss the Popes to five hundred miles off; and what is the meaning of this, but in a fly way to justify the Papists, and commend Popery to the Nation by disgracing and reproaching the Protestant dissenters? he strikes these on the face, that he may the more securedly kiss the Pope; he would drive these out of England, that the Pope might be taken in; surely he justles with the Puritans, to make room for the Papists; he renders them dangerous and unsufferable, that these may be well thought of and embraced; let the spirits of such men be well considered, and they will be found Antichristian, and that their faces are towards Rome; that they are no friends, but enemies to the interest of the Gospel, and to the welfare of King and Kingdom.  
5. A fifth Inference is, That there is an absolute necessity of uniting all Protestant parties and interests in England, that all should lay aside their animosities and fiends, and agree together as with one hand to resist the Popish interest; the law of Nature obligeth man to preserve himself, and next himself those of his own kind. Hence it is, that if two persons be fighting with each other with great fury, yet if a Lion come, or one that is equally an enemy to the lives of both, they will cease their fighting and join together against the Lion or common enemy; whatever our heats and controversies have been about greater or lesser things, yet now that the Popes Bulls roar against us, and indifferently threaten the ruin of the lives and estates of all parties in England, that are not, or resolve not to be Popish; common prudence and profession should engage us to cease all prosecution of each other, and study and seek peace and accommodation; for as the Papists boast of an Union amongst themselves, which they esteem as their strength in a great measure, so they spy upon our disunion and breaches, which they themselves have promoted, and do still carry on, not doubting of a great advantage thereby, for the effecting their design. Is it not time to look after and contend for the doctrines and Substantials in Religion, which lie at the stake, and are in danger to be subverted; and to give allowance to each other in and about modes of worship and circumstantial things? Will our so much contended-for forms and circumstances of Worship defend us against Popery? Are the Ceremonies of the Papal Church, with their unanimous observance of them, their strength? Nay they have been thereby weakened, for our Protestant Writers have assigned the intolerable number of Ceremonies in that Church to be one sufficient reason for our separating from them. Suppose there were none among us dissenting from the way of the Church of England, would this have made voided the devices of the Papists against us; could they have done us no harm? If any assert it, the reason thereof is secret and hidden, cannot be seen but by those that are so sharp sighted in spying upon those that differ in small matters from them; but how weak and vain soever this pretence is, yet it is stiffly urged by some to the stirring up of trouble against their Protestant brethren, who out of conscience only, stand off from complying; wherein, though they have been harassed, fined, and imprisoned, yet have approved themselves loyal, and no way guilty of mutinous and rebellious practices or designs. And what spirit shall we think such of, who can find no easy place to sit on, but their brethrens consciences? Is it a Gospel and Christian temper to be shooting fiery arrows against each other, when the Papists have fire-balls in readiness to cast at all of us? while the Popes Cannons roar against us, for us to be firing ecclesiastic Canons to the disquieting and weakening of ourselves? yea for any, even to pull the Nation about their ears, not regarding their own in the common approaching ruin, if they can but avenge themselves upon the poor dissenters? Alas these seek not, nor design the honours, preferments, nor riches of the day, the height of their design is but liberty to serve God according to their consciences; to live in peace in all godliness and honesty; yet these are hunted as the only dangerous people. Shall or can we account men of this fiery persecuting spirit, friends to the Kingdom or Religion, that are so unpeaceable, and that in such a day as this is? and Oh when will this evil rage( for zeal I may not call it) which reacheth Heaven, be extinguished and quenched? there is nothing does more sadly foretell the ruin of the Kingdom, and its being captivated to the Papal See, than this fierceness and implacableness of men that will admit of no accommodation; that look upon dissenting Protestants as Israel upon Amalek, doomed to be rooted out from the face of the earth, and so peace is never to be made with them. And is not he a fool in our Israel? does he understand true Religion? or can he be a friend to it, that will say he had rather be a Papist than a Presbyterian? Surely if God will do us good by this dispensation he will bring us to a better temper, to be more bearing to, and forbearing each other wherein we differ, without which we cannot avoid being a spoil to the Papists. I cannot without grief and disdain look upon what hath dropped from the Pens of some amongst us that would be called Protestants, in reproaching and reviling those that dissent from their forms and modes of Worship, wherein they show themselves the favourers and furtherers of Schism, the makers of rents and breaches, to the weakening of the Kingdom. Thus an eminent person for Learning amongst us( whose Name I forbear) in a Book of his, calls the Directory the great Abomination that makes desolate, foretold by Daniel the Prophet; so in a Book written by 
* Bramhall.  one that should have been a man of peace, and no striker, in the beginning of it he labours to prove that the spirit of the Calvinistical Puritans is the Antichrist foretold in the Scriptures to come into the world. This is the same spirit that put Dr. Peter Heylin into such a rage against the Puritans, as to say that the Bartholomew-Butchery or slaughter in France in the year 1572, should not only not be registered amongst the small faults of the Romanists, but also accounted one of their brave and laudable enterprises and achievements. Also in a large Volume, as I find him quoted, he affirms that Calvin was as another Adam, who brought into the world all manner of sins and wickedness; and above all, the Doctrine and Principle of rebelling against Kings, was certainly first started and taught by him. What could the design of these men be in speaking thus( surely against their own Consciences) but to act revenge and malice upon those that are upon the same foundation with themselves, wherein they fought not Truth, but Infamy; these and the like, are protesters, not against the Papists, whom upon all occasions they use with great tenderness and civility, but against their Protestant Brethren, against whom they spend their whole strength; certainly, such as these have cause to be ashamed of this spirit and way of dealing with their Brethren, and seek rather those things which make for peace; and Oh that yet at last this rage and bitterness may be laid by, that love and kindness may be mutually shown, that the outward Kingdom of Christ which is only Ministerial, may be set up amongst us. I do not presume to offer an Irenicum to the Nation, but only intend a little by these Considerations to improve the dispensations of the time to unity and peace, without which we can never stand and keep our ground against the Papists.  
6. A sixth Inference is, That we in England are this day under a loud call of Gods Providence, to humble ourselves before the Lord; it is not the Papists combined powers or policies that can subvert us; no, it is our sins only that can ruin us; the cry of Atheism, of unpunished murders, of bodily uncleanness, of profaning Sabbaths, of Oaths, with a general unfruitfulness under the Gospel and means of grace, and impenitency in all these, makes a dreadful cry in the ears of God against England, to which the curses and threatenings of the Papists in our ears are as nothing; so that if the Papists should prevail, and Popery through the righteous judgement of God upon the Land, should once again enter England, we must say our sins hath done it, and procured it; it is not because Popery is better in the sight of God, as they pretend: Assyrian Babylon might as well have exalted her Idolatry above the true worship of God, because she subdued Israel, and lead them into captivity; no, if such a change should come, it is because our sins are greater than theirs: As it was said when the French King and many of his Nobles were taken Prisoners, and brought into England, an insulting English Courtier, asked the French men, When they should see such English Captives in France? A French Nobleman soberly and wisely answered him, When your sins in England exceed ours in France, then you may be Prisoners to us, as we are now to you; so we may say in regard of the Papists, and of Popery.  
So that the only way of safety and security against them, is to humble ourselves, to cast away our sins, to put from us our Immoralities and Debaucheries of life; and also our uncharitableness to, and evil usage, and vexing of each other; to break off our sins by repentance, and righteousness, and our iniquities by showing mercy; that if it may be, there may be a lengthening of our tranquillity. Let us not so much rejoice in this fall of the Papists, as mourn that we should provoke the Lord so far, as to suffer them to device such mischiefs against us: Consider the bloodiness and unrighteousness of their design, and it is theirs; but if we consider our own sins, we must call it the Lords device against England, which we can no way avoid, but by humbling ourselves: God speaks this day to us, as by his Prophet to Israel of old, Jer. 18.11, Behold I frame evil against you, and device a device against you: Turn ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good: This is the sure and effectual way to secure England, without which we cannot prosper, but shall fall before our enemies. Thus Rehoboam turned away impending and appearing wrath, 2 Chron. 12.12, While he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: also in Judah things went well.  
7. A seventh Inference is, That this Protestant Nation of England is greatly concerned for the preservation of its Government, and continuance of the Gospel, to keep a constant and watchful eye upon the designs and motions of the Papists: these have a foreign dependence, a foreign sovereign and Lawgiver, to whom they give due obedience and subjection, which are all inconsistent with the government and safety of England. No man can serve two Masters, nor can any be equally true and loyal to two earthly Dominions; the asserting the Popes Supremacy, denies the Kings: How can Papists that bear Allegiance to the Roman See, be true to the Kings sovereignty and Government, which excludes all foreign Jurisdiction and Authority? to be of the Church of Rome, but not of the Court of Rome, is a futilous distinction, a figleaf, not sufficient to cover a Papal deceit; though they may pretend, and boast of Loyalty to the King, yet it is with a salvo to their Romish Allegiance, or so far only as the Pope owns him to be a King; nay, all their friendship and subjection to the Government under which they live, is tempered and made subservient to the service of their Church, which is always superior to any other Interest: Therefore that Protestant Government which will secure its self against the devices of these Papal dependents and Subjects, must gain it, not by any Oaths, Vows, or Tests, which can never bind them, but by its own diligence and circumspection, by an unwearied watchfulness and endless jealousy over them, wherein they have no reason to think themselves wronged, or hardly used, seeing they are not capable of giving any reasonable or competent security for their loyalty and faithfulness; and it will ever be found the Interest of a Protestant Prince to answer their unrighteous principles, with a righteous jealousy and distrust, and to give them no credit in matters of government, or trust, or in point of loyalty, that will keep no faith with heretics.  
8. The last Inference I shall make from the preceding discourse, is, That a necessity is continually incumbent upon Protestants to pray much; by Prayer to recommend and commit the case and state of Gods Church, with the Interest of the Gospel, to his care, protection, and keeping; for Satan, the grand Apostate, does by his Instruments here on earth, especially by Papal Antichrist to this day make war with the remnant of the seed, that are faithful to Christ and to his testimony, who will cleave to his laws and institutions, and will not worship the beast, nor receive his mark nor name upon them. Now, in this case, what remedy, help, or protection can the little flock of faithful Protestants have? or where can they find it, but under the Wing of Christ their Head? The worldly powers of the earth will not, cannot help it, it is in vain to look to any earthly greatness: Antichrist hath engrossed all of that nature to such a degree and measure, that what is left out unimpropriated to his use, can give no probable or sufficient security; No, when all is tried, Prayer will be found to be the best and most effective weapon and remedy in this case. Therefore,  
1. Pray for the King, whom God hath set over us, that the Lord may keep and preserve his Royal Person from their evil and violent attempts; that God will open his eyes more fully to discern the devices for, and encroachments of Popery upon England; that God will fill him with a love to the Truth, and establish him in the Protestant Religion.  
2. Pray that the Throne may be ever blessed with a Protestant Prince, or governor.  
3. Pray that all in Authority may faithfully set themselves to oppose the politic and powerful attempts of Papists to introduce Popery; also to favour, and what in them lie to further the preaching and continuance of the Gospel in this Land.  
4. Pray that the Lord may raise us a faithful witnessing Ministry for the service of the Gospel, that Antichrist and his false Foundations, Doctrines, and Worships, may be fully discovered, and by Scripture-evidence may be clearly convicted; that light may shine forth in England by the Ministry of the Word; and that to such a degree, for the discovery and knowledge of the Gospel, that the smoke which ascended out of the bottomless-pit, that is, the darkness, lying wonders, false Doctrines, and Idolatries of the Church of Rome, may not only be discovered to, but may also in knowledge and judgement be answerably hated and scorned by this people.  
A debauched and ignorant Clergy will at length be found to be a prodigious judgement and calamity to this Nation; for when the people have the debaucheries and blindness of their Teacher in example, it is a powerful encouragement and inlet to a vicious life, which doth naturally render Government difficult, tiresome, and in time weak and feeble, and not able to attain its end: Also it doth secretly cause the people, who generally walk by sight, to loathe that Religion which is delivered to them by such foul hands, and renders them ready to close with a Religion and Worship though doctrinally false, of which they are not so well able to judge, that shall be served by Priests of a greater seeming and outside Sanctity, which they profess. Nay a vicious Clergy will be the first that shall welcome Popery, and persuade the people to submit to it, and receive it as an Innocent and necessary thing.  
Also, what surer boundary can we have against Popery here in England, than knowledge and understanding in the Scriptures, which is of Gods own making and appointing; for if severe Laws, Protestant and watchful Governours, shall be and are necessary for the preventing the Plots, Conspiracies, and Treasons of Papists, and for the promotion of the civil interest of the Nation: so will a plentiful measure of knowledge and understanding in religion laid into the minds of people, be equally, yea far more necessary for the exclusion of Popery, because the goodness of Laws depend wholly upon the execution, and are always according to the hand in which they are that use them; therefore can never be a sufficient security against Popery. But sound knowledge and understanding in Religion, do perfectly exclude it; nor will Popery be willing to show its self in a land where the people are so enlightened; a people of understanding and knowledge in the Scriptures may by the Papists be sacrificed and made Martyrs, but can never be drawn to receive and approve that which in their conscience and judgement they abhor and condemn.  
Pray therefore that able, faithful, and Protestant Teachers may never cease out of this Land; that we may ever be furnished with such to stand in the gap against Popery.  
5. Pray for the ruin and downfall of Papal Antichrist, as that which God hath cursed, and therefore must fall; as that which is destructive to the liberty, peace, and Protestant Religion in England, and therefore should be here kept out and cast out as an abominable thing; and though we be persuaded that the Roman Church is a Whore, and hated of Christ, and that the Lord will in due time destroy it out of the earth; yet for this we should pray, that God may have the glory in his day; Gods discovered purposes, are no reason for our neglect of, but rather an encouragement to prayer in those cases: though God hath declared that he will destroy mystical Babylon, yet for this he will be inquired of by his faithful servants.  
We know and believe that God, to whom vengeance belongeth, hath ever his eye upon, and will certainly require and avenge the blood of his faithful servants and witnesses, who did not follow their own humors and imaginations, but strictly adhered to the pure word of God, yea and made profession thereof, which is called their Testimony, for which they were cruelly destroyed by the first beast or Heathen Rome; and that their blood thus  shed was not like the blood of beasts, nor like water spilled upon the ground, which none regardeth; but their blood was precious in the sight of God, it sends up a loud and continual cry, like the blood of Abel that crieth for vengeance; which clearly intimates to us that there is a day of vengeance to come upon the earth, for the cruelties acted by Antichristian Rome, either in its first or second form upon the witnesses of Christ; and this vengeance shall be ushered in and brought forth by the cry of the slain, and by the concurrent prayers of the living Saints in all ages; this was discovered to John, Rev. 6.9, I saw under the altar the Souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the Testimony which they held. This tells us first, what the cause was for which the Christians were Martyred and Slain by Heathen Rome, it was not for Rebellons, Witchcrafts, Murdering of Emperours, Kings or Governours; but for the word of God, that is, for owning this word to be the standard and rule of their faith and life, and not the edicts and commands of their Emperours; accordingly they were hated for a Scriptural righteousness and sanctity of life; also they bore a testimony against their Idolatry and false Gods, professing faith in Christ the true God, and only Mediator; For this they were destroyed with all manner of cruelties. Secondly, here is their state and condition after death; Their Souls were under the altar, which is not to be understood literally, but spiritually, that is to say, they were nigh to Christ: though removed or cast out of the earth, yet they are not cast out of Christs sight: for the altar was a type of Christs presence on earth. So that though long since slain, yet they are still in his sight as a kind of Sacrifice, being martyred for his sake. This the Lord will never forget, but will surely reward their services, and revenge their sufferings; therefore by the will of God they cry continually, as he tells us in Vers 10. A●d they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? This cry of theirs is not from impatience, or doubtfulness of the thing, or from any particular desire in themselves of revenge, but out of zeal to the glory of Gods Holiness, and of Gods faithfulness and truth, which is concerned in executing this vengeance. Also this cry doth evidence the assurance these Souls have in themselves that this thing shall be, being built upon the Holiness and Veracity of God; and likewise it witnesseth the same to the Saints in all generations, that they might be stirred up to join their prayers for the hastening that day of wrath, which though God hath for wise and holy ends deferred, yet it shall be, and the delay thereof will one day be accounted no slackness in this Almighty.  
Object. If any shall object, saying, And where is Heathen Rome? how shall this blood be avenged upon that State which is not in the Earth.  
Answ. I answer, that Heathen Rome, which had a mortal wound, is revived and continued in Papal Rome; and this second Beast doth the same works which the first Beast did; so that the judgement denounced against the first, will be consummated upon the second; and as the second doth carry on and finish the Persecution and cruelties began by the first; so the desolations and calamities begun to be inflicted upon the first, shall be concluded upon the last; a parallel case we have in Scripture concerning the Antichristian Scribes and Pharisees, or the latter and most corrupt generation and state of the Jews; for whereas this spirit of persecution and cruelty appeared in the former ages to the killing of many Prophets, which the Lord sent to turn them from their unrighteousness; yet these in the last age built and beautified the Tombs of those slain Prophets, not in zeal to God, or to honour the memory of the Prophets, or their testimony; but they designed to honour themselves or their counterfeit sanctity among the people; therefore they condemned the cruelty of their fore-fathers in the case; as we have it in Mat. 23.29, 30, Ye build the Tombs of the Prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the ●ighteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets, &c. I say, this and what follows is perfectly the case in hand; for thus Heathen Antichristian Rome slay the Apostles and faithful Christians, and Papal Antichristian Rome immediately following in another form, takes that Seat, and in a counterfeit sanctity and zeal hath built Tombs to the Martyred Christians, that is, hath given them the honour and dignity of Saints, made them Mediators in Heaven, and this in great hypocrisy; in show honouring the Martyrs, but in truth thereby dignified its self, and lifted-up itis own sovereignty and glory; yea, herein they seemed to condemn the cruelty of Heathen Rome, as it were, saying, If we had lived in their days, we would not have been partakers of the blood of the Apostles, and martyred Christians; yet the same spirit and cruel works are in this second, which was in the first; so that it appears, that Papal Rome is not only a successor of Heathen Rome, as to place and dominion, but as to tyranny, wickedness and cruelty; Heathen Rome yet lieth in Papal Rome; and what our Saviour said to and of the Pharisees mutato nomine, may be said to, and of this State or Church, as Mat. 23.31, and so on, Ye be witnesses to yourselves that ye are the children of them which killed the Martyrs: fill ye up then the measure of your fathers; ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of Hell? And whereas the same works of killing, scourging, persecuting from City to City, which Heathen Rome did, Papal Rome doth, and more also; therefore shall all the righteous blood  shed upon the Earth come upon them in a righteous vengeance from the hand of the Lord; and though the Lord defers this, and for a time do not execute it, it is not because this Papal Church is not guilty, nor because the day of vengeance shall never come upon her, nor because God doth not regard, or will not answer the cry of those slain by the first Beast; no, the true reason we have in Revel. 6.11, It was said unto them that they should rest yet a little season, until their fellow-servants also, and their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. So that as the Seat of Heathen and Papal Rome is one and the same, so they both had and have the same spirit of cruelty, tyranny and persecution, and their design is the same, namely to oppose, supplant and destroy the true Church of Christ out of the Earth; their work also is one and the same, only effected by divers and differing methods; so that, as Rome hath begun to fall in its first state and form, so it shall be utterly ruined in its second appearance. And as this Papal Rome is more wicked than the other, so it shall have greater plagues, the dregs of the cup are reserved for her to drink. Yet for this, blood must cry, and the Souls under the Altar must cry, and the prayers of Saints in all ages must cry to God, who in due time will hear and answer.  
6. In the last place, Pray that God will in these our days pour forth his witnessing spirit upon his people in this Nation, that as we have for a long time enjoyed the pure and purifying Gospel of Christ, so we may answerably witness against the Errors, Idolatries, and false state and worship of the Church of Rome. Now though this be a duty incumbent upon all that are enlightened by the truth, yet considering the dangers and evils which attend a faithful profession in the world, our own understanding, conscience, or natural courage will not be sufficient for it, if the Spirit of Truth do not enable us to profess what he hath taught; when the time of that duty come upon us, we shall through the weakness of our flesh, either deny the Truth, or apostatise to that we should witness against, or in unfaithfulness turn from this duty when called to it. Therefore we should not be confident from any thing in us; whatever we know of Antichrist, yet we know not what we shall do when the hour of temptation come to try those that are upon the earth; when God shall put us here in England into his Fan, many that now seem to be orthodox, zealous Protestants, will then be found to be chaff, too light for Gods house and use; let none then stand in his own strength, but fear and pray for the Lords help herein, that we may have our proper ballast, our own steadfastness, which is by the Spirit of Truth in us, that Spirit which calls and sanctifieth us, which gives us the true sight and savour of truth, must enable us to make profession of it; the spirit of Sanctity is also the spirit of prophesy, Rev. 19.10, The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy. These words are the principal reason why the Angel refused and forbade John's worshipping him, because in the Lords work he stood upon equal ground with the Angel, they were fellow-servants, both employed about the Testimony of Jesus; And though the Angel was sent to assist in the discovery and instructing of John in those things, yet he is faithful to Gods glory, and renounceth his being the author of these great discoveries; No, saith he, they are not mine, but they come from the Spirit of prophesy, which hath in all ages revealed the hidden and deep things of God, and also put a Testimony into the heart and mouth of his Witnesses; for as Gods people have received from the Lord what they witn●ss; so by the same Spirit they are enabled to manage their Testimony to the honour of Truth, and to the shane and loss of Antichrist. I say the Testimony of the Witnesses depends upon the spirit of prophesy; for where the Spirit withdraws his influence and assistance, the Witness grows fearful, feeble, and unserviceable, yea, his testimony ceaseth answerably to the Spirits withdrawing; and such Witnesses become to be as dry bones, dead and useless in regard of their testimony; so on the other hand, when this testifying Spirit enters into any of Christs Witnesses, though they were dead, yet they will then stand upon their feet, and according to the measure of life which they receive from the Spirit, they will bear Witness against Antichrist, and for the Truth.  
Hence it was that such a mighty Testimony was born or given to Christ under Heathen Rome, which all their cruelties and insatiable shedding of blood could not cut off, no nor limit; the Christians did then powerfully cleave to the Truth, with such patience and long-suffering, that they out-went the power of nature, plainly showing that they were secretly acted and assi ted by the Spirit of prophesy. Their faithfulness to the Truth of Christ made them refuse all base compliances or terms of life, or safety, which might in the least prejudice their Testimony; they would not yield to things which though to others might seem little, yet to them were of great moment, because of the Testimony which was involved in them. Baronius in his Annals tells us, that in the time of Dioclesians persecution, the persecutors desired at last but the Bibles, poor coats, money or cups which they used in the service of God, to be given them as a small evidence of their yielding, but they refused to accept deliverance, yea their lives upon these terms; yea, when the Souldiers partly wearied in being so bloody, partly desirous of a seeming conquest over the Christians, did profess themselves willing to take any old paper or clout instead of a Bible, but they refused to give any Et vola( as they called it) or cast-away clout; yea when Souldiers violently pulled such things from them against their wills, they would follow them, professing their adherence to the truth, and that they had not any way willingly delivered those things. This was the spirit of those days, whereby Christs Name, Truth, and Ordinances, were lifted up above all the powers of the earth. I cannot here pass by the Testimony of the Christian Soldier in Julian's time, when that Apostate return'd from a Victory on a day dedicated to one of the Heathen gods, a part of whose service was to wear Crowns upon their Heads; Julian, to abuse the Christians in his Army, commanded them to wear Crowns or Coronets on their Heads, pretending to honour his Victory, but intending therein his Idol-worship; when the Army obeied the command, one Christian Soldier perceiving the design, carried his Coronet in his hand, and refused to put it on his head, because he would not in any kind own or honour the Heathen gods; this he stood to, though to the provoking of the Emperour, and hazarding his own life, and the lives of all the Christians in the Army: And to take off the censures of people about that, Tertullian wrote his famous piece, entitled, de Corona militis, wherein he doth abundantly justify the Christian Soldier, as having done the part of a true and faithful Christian in bearing this testimony.  
And as their Testimony was mighty, by the spirit of truth enabling Christians to bear and endure for the Truths sake, so it subdued their very enemies, and mightily increased the number of Christians; many Heathens were thereby enlightened and quicked to own Christ, and declare themselves Christians.  
Nor hath this Testimony or its usefulness failed in the days Papal Rome, but this Spirit hath here and there raised up one ●●●ness or other to oppose the Antichristian, Idolatrous, and ●●●●nable state and practices of the Papal Church, which if 〈◇〉 been checked would have over-grown and swallowed up all truth and righteousness in the earth; therefore the God of Truth hath by his Providence in every age raised some Witnesses, furnished them with the spirit of judgement & of burning, by whom Antichrists Kingdom hath been much shaken; what a mighty and useful Testimony did Calvin and his Contemporaries bear against Popery, to the enlightening and turning many from that mystery of iniquity. So Luther in Germany was by the same spirit made powerful in his Testimony, so that many were thereby awakened to see and detest the abominations of Rome; yea, was also of use to check and restrain the abounding hypocrisies and wickedness of the Romish Monks and Priests. Therefore( as Scultetus relates) when the Priests complained of Luther to the Emperour Charles the Fifth, he  told them, That if they had been good, they should have stood in no need of such a censor or corrector of manners as Luther was. And the same Author tells of an eminent Abbot, who confessed that superstition was become so gross and immeasurable, that he said, I speak truly, I think that if Luther had not come amongst us, we should by this time have persuaded the people to feed upon hay. And as God had a Luther in Germany, so he had a Wickliff in England, whose Testimony was of great use.  
But as the light of the Gospel hath more abundantly shined in these last ages, so an higher Testimony must be born to the Truth; pray then for the Spirit of Truth, for a witnessing spirit to be sent upon this people, that if God will bring a trying time upon us, England may yet again be more famous by resisting Antichrist, and sealing the Truth with their blood.  
FINIS.